MONTREAL

Philippe Couillard to lead first trade mission to China in October

The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, August 13, 2014 8:02AM EDT

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard gestures during question period at the Quebec legislature, Thursday July3, 2014 in Quebec City. (Clement Allard/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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QUEBEC - Premier Philippe Couillard is heading to China in October for his first economic mission abroad.

The Canadian Press has learned Couillard will visit China from Oct. 26 to Oct. 31, going first to Shanghai and then Beijing and Shandong.

China is Quebec's second-largest trading partner, with the volume of trade reaching $10 billion.

Quebec's exports to China currently total $2.4 billion and are vastly outweighed by China's exports to Quebec, which amount to $7.7 billion.

The emphasis for the trip will be on the aerospace, bio-food, health, information technology and green tech sectors.

The trip is a chance for Couillard to strengthen ties with China as he looks for investors in the mining sector amid the reactivation of the Plan Nord northern development plan.