B.C. suspends China meetings in forestry trade mission due to detention of Huawei exec

The China leg of a forestry trade mission for B.C. is being suspended due to the detention of an executive from Huawei Technologies.

Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology, issued a statement this morning on the situation.

"The Province of British Columbia has suspended the China leg of its Asian forestry trade mission due to the international judicial process underway relating to a senior official at Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd,” Ralston said. “British Columbia values its strong trade relationship with China, one based on mutual respect and close economic and cultural ties that have been established over many decades. Our forest products industry remains committed to our relationship with our valued Chinese customers.”

Ralston said that the December 2018 Forestry Asia Trade Mission, led by Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and supported by numerous B.C. forestry industry representatives, has completed the South Korea portion of the mission and will complete the Japan portion of the mission on Tuesday, Dec. 11.

The delegation was then scheduled to travel to China but will return to British Columbia instead.

"It is anticipated that Minister Donaldson will work to reschedule events planned for the Chinese portion of this mission at the earliest convenient moment,” Ralston explained.