Canadian prime minister to visit China, India
2009-10-28

Nations India Canada China Singapore Category Regions Regions Asia North America Pacific Rim West Bengal Calcutta People Stephen Harper Event Canada-China Source (AFP)

OTTAWA (AFP) - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will travel to India and China in following his participation in an APEC summit in Singapore, his office said Wednesday.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Singapore is to be held November 14-15.

After the APEC talks, Harper is scheduled to travel to India November 16-18, and will then make an official visit to China December 2-6.

Harper's India trip follows eleven ministerial-level visits to the country since 2006, and the opening of new Canadian trade offices this year in Hyderabad, Calcutta and Ahmedabad.

"There is a tremendous amount of potential in our relationship with India," Harper said.

Harper's visit to China, meanwhile, coincides with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of a Trade Commissioner Service office in Shanghai.

Next year, Canada will celebrate 40 years of diplomatic ties with China, its third largest export market after the United States and Britain.