British Columbia government staff say Malaysia is being included in an Asian trade tour by Premier David Eby and other ministers as part of a bid to diversify trade away from the United States.
Asked at a technical briefing on the trip why the nation was included alongside the much larger trading partners of Japan and South Korea, staff pointed to Malaysia's demographics, with a younger population that's still growing.
Eby's 10-day trade mission departing Sunday will also include Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, Parliamentary Secretary for Asia-Pacific Trade Paul Choi and business leaders.
It's Eby's second trip to Asia since becoming premier in late 2022.
The briefing on Wednesday heard that Japan, with a population of 123 million, ranks third among B.C.'s trading partners, accounting for 10.4 per cent of exports, while South Korea with a population of 52 million ranks fourth, accounting for about 6.6 per cent.
Malaysia, with a population of 34 million, ranks 16th among B.C.'s trading partners.
Malaysia also currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a continental trading bloc, with which Canada is currently negotiating a free trade deal.
Eby is not going to mainland China because it has imposed tariffs on Canadian food, including B.C. shellfish.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
