Whitehorse - Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon and staff from the Yukon's Economic Development and Energy Mines and Resources Departments have returned from a two-week business visit to several cities in China.
"I'm pleased to say we made meaningful contact with some key senior people in China, both in business and in government," Kenyon said.
The purpose of the trip was to promote the business potential of the Yukon's resource sector, specifically in mineral development and mining, by meeting with senior Chinese business and government officials.
Second, the trip was also organized so Yukon government officials could attend the biennial meeting of the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits (SGA). The SGA is made up of geologists who study mineralization in geological formations. The society's meeting was held this year in Beijing from Aug. 18-21. Geologists from Yukon's department of Energy Mines and Resources staffed a booth at the exhibition segment of the conference. The Yukon also hosted a 'Yukon Night' at the Novotel Peace Hotel in Beijing.
"Yukon Night was a great success," Kenyon said. "We had about 80 people on the guest list and we sparked their interest in the Yukon with a video presentation from the Department of Tourism and small gifts for everyone that attended."
"These kinds of relationships don’t blossom overnight. I am pleased to say that we are seeing progress, because we have found that business and government representatives in China are now starting to come to us with solid business ideas," Kenyon said.
The cost of the trip and related geology exhibition was covered by the Department of Economic Development. The budget for the trip was just under $45,000.
- 30 -
| Contact: | |
| Peter Carr | Rod Jacob |
| Cabinet Communications | Communications Manager |
| (867) 667-8688 | Economic Development |
| peter.carr@gov.yk.ca | (867) 667-5387 |
| rod.jacob@gov.yk.ca |