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Government announcement
25 January 2018

Premier’s economic mission in China – Announcement of 30 partnerships: $239M in investments and sales and the creation of 107 jobs


Qu'est-ce qu'une mission en Chine comme celle que nous poursuivons actuellement peut apporter à nos entreprises,…

Posted by Philippe Couillard on Monday, January 22, 2018

BEIJING, China, January 22, 2018. —Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard and Stéphane Billette, Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises, Regulatory Streamlining and Regional Economic Development, were in attendance during the announcement of 25 partnership agreements between Quebec and Chinese businesses and institutions in the sectors of consumer goods, sports, agri-food, construction and green technologies, entertainment, culture, research and innovation. The total amount of the investments and sales is $239 million and it will allow for the creation of 107 jobs in Quebec.

The Premier gave an address during a breakfast-time presentation in collaboration with the Canada China Business Council (CCBC). Almost 400 people from the Quebec delegation and from the Chinese business world were present. Mr. Couillard promoted the creativity, knowledge and expertise of Quebec businesses, institutions and organizations. The day ended with a roundtable discussion in order to define the goals of the participants in the innovation sector.

During my first visit to China in 2014, I had the chance to present Plan Nord and the Maritime Strategy. It’s important to maintain our collaboration in these areas. However, the world economy is rapidly changing. We need to think about the fight against climate change, the increasing importance of new and digital technologies and the fact that our SMEs are now in competition with others around the globe. In this context, Quebec, whose economy is now operating at full capacity, is capable of assuming a leadership position. Today we have the means to better support Quebecers’ knowledge and creativity and to encourage innovative projects. Because other than our raw materials, what characterizes Quebec is our talent, which is our chief competitive advantage.

– Philippe Couillard, Premier of Quebec

The partnerships announced today show that Quebec is at the right place at the right time. The collaborations in advanced industries combined with the arrival of new Quebec products on the Chinese market encourage an increase of exchanges between our respective economies.

– Stéphane Billette, Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises, Regulatory Streamlining and Regional Economic Development

Key facts:

Here is the list of agreements and announcements:

Partnership agreement between RHST and Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG) – Environmental Remediation Co. Ltd Division:

The agreement allows for the creation of a long-term partnership and the realization of joint projects in environmental engineering consulting, in construction and commercialization services, and in soil decontamination operations. This partnership includes the licensing of the RHST technology for soil decontamination. Firm sales worth $10 million in the first 18 months and the creation of 20 new jobs are expected.

Memorandum of understanding between RHST and Beijing Kingpeng International Hi-Tech Corporation (Kingpeng): This partnership between RHST and Beijing Kingpeng is for future collaboration in order to promote the use of water pearls for water treatment in the Chinese greenhouse market and the joint commercialization of these pearls in more than 40 countries. It will also allow Chinese farmers to significantly lower their water consumption and increase their production capacity. The signed agreement will make it possible to increase its production capacity by $20 million over the course of the first 24 months, creating 20 new jobs.

A new agreement between Hydro-Québec’s Centre d’excellence en électrification des transports et stockage d’énergie (CEETS) and Jilin Province Dongshi Kingpower Science and Technology Co. Ltd: A license agreement for patents relating to battery technology for transportation and energy storage. This is the CEETS’ first agreement with an industrial company to commercialize a second-generation technology.

Agreement reached between DV Bois-Franc and its partners Ocean International Construction, China Finance & Culture Asset Management (Shenzhen) and China Railway Twenty-Three Bureau Group: The agreement allows for Quebec wood products to be included in offers in the construction industry in China. It could yield $5 million over three years and create around 15 jobs in the Outaouais region.

Agreement reached between Pajar Canada and Tianjin Kings International Trading Company Ltd, valued at $4.5 million: The goal of this agreement is to enter the Chinese market in a structured and organized manner by partnering with a local company which would represent the Quebec company and its wide range of products. The signed agreement will allow an increase in sales of 50,000 pairs of boots and winter clothes. It will also increase the sales of jackets and accessories.

Renewal of the partnership agreement between the three Fonds de recherche du Québec and the National Natural Science Foundation of China for a period of four years: This partnership will promote the cooperation between Quebec and Chinese researchers by supporting short-term scientific missions. It will also support the development of new international joint research projects in health science, natural science and in management science and engineering.

Launch of a call for research project proposals by the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé and the National Natural Science Foundation of China in the field of cardiovascular diseases: This financing should build on Chinese and Quebec expertise in order to acquire new knowledge and skills. Common guidelines have been made in view of launching a call for research projects proposals in the field of cardiovascular diseases, which will be allocated a budget of CAN$3.8 million over three years.

Partnership between the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, the Tianjin University of Science and Technology and the Beijing Construction Engineering Group Co. Ltd: This partnership in joint research project promotion on the subject of project management is trail-blazing because it links academic and private partners in a global context.

Agreement to collaborate in virtual reality between the HEC Montréal entrepreneurship centre and HTC China: This collaboration will allow Quebec virtual reality start-ups to enter the Chinese market, to have access to the investment funds of HTC Vive China and to be supported in obtaining contracts with HTC Vive China.

A new partnership in VFX real-time motion capture between Concordia University and the China Research Institute of Film Science and Technology (CRIFST): This partnership highlights the importance for the universities, research centres and cinema companies of Quebec of creating ties with the Chinese cinema, culture and entertainment industries in order to create outlets for exporting Quebec content and technology as well as the research and creation originating from the academic community.

Partnership in education, research and development between the Université de Montréal and Beijing Fashion Culture Development: Opening of the Université de Montréal office in China, which will increase student and professor mobility in addition to the extension and strengthening of research partnerships.

Agreement between the Université de Montréal and Beihang University: Signing of an agreement for joint supervision of theses with Beihang University.

Memorandum of understanding between the Université de Montréal and the China University of Political Science and Law: joint supervision of theses.

Announcement by the Université de Montréal and the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (Wuhan): Signing of an agreement for joint doctoral programs in “Innovation, Science, Technology and Law”– this program already involves partner universities in Peru and in Mexico.

Agreement reached between Soon Spirit Canada and Shangda Group Dalian: This agreement will allow for the distribution of SOON ice wine spirit in more than 15 regions in China. In addition to the initial purchase of several thousand bottles, the establishment of a new sales team in China is also planned, as is the increase in the promotion of this product in restaurants and hotels in China.

Agreement reached between SeaDNA and Beijing Sheng Ya Jin Tai Import and Export Trade Co. Ltd: This partnership is for the commercialization and distribution of seal oil omega-3 products and seal meat products in China.

Agreement reached between Immanence IDC and VIP.com: This agreement targets the distribution of IDC Dermo’s cosmetic skin care product line on the Chinese market thanks to the e-commerce platform VIP International

Agreement in principle between the company Dataperformers and the Shenzhen Qianhai Mango Fund Management firm: This agreement confirms the intention of both companies to work together to develop artificial intelligence software in Shanghai. Several types of applications are already being studied in various domains such as smart cities and the financial sector.

Agreement in principle between the company Dataperformers and Fujian Yuan Xuan Biological Technology Co. Ltd: The agreement aims to make use of Dataperformers’ expertise in recognition and digital image processing and to combine it with specialized knowledge of botany to create technology for the recognition and automated classification of plants. The contract worth at least $1 million resulting from this agreement will generate 12 jobs in Quebec over the course of the next three years.

Agreement reached between CTC Group and its Chinese partner REINGWOOD GROUP — BEIJING valued at approximately $50 million regarding a commercial agreement for the development of a community sports centre, the Canadôme, which will integrate Canadian technologies. This agreement will include more than 50% Canadian content and will utilize services and technologies from several Quebec companies.

Partnership concluded between CTC Group and YNCC Culture Tourism Investment Co. Ltd for the development of an amusement park based on the theme of tourism, culture and the Canadian winter, which will include about thirty winter sports and activities and will involve the participation of Quebec companies.

Agreement announced between OVA and its partner HTC Vive China:

An investment of 3.69% in OVA Virtual Reality by HTC Vive China. This will lead to the creation of around 20 jobs in the next two years. Additionally, OVA’s enterprise value has reached $7.5 million.

Collaboration agreement between Enerkem and Sinobioway Group in the field of environmental technologies (production of biofuel and chemical products from waste) with a leading conglomerate of the Chinese bioindustry: These partners signed an agreement valued at more than $125 million in the form of investment in Enerkem Inc. share capital, license revenues, the manufacture and sale of equipment and the creation of a wide-scale joint venture for the construction of more than 100 Enerkem factories in China by 2035.

Agreement finalized with Casavant for the design, manufacture and installation of a pipe organ in the future concert hall of the China Philharmonic Orchestra in Beijing:

This agreement with the China Scientific Instruments & Materials Co. Ltd is valued at $2.5 million and will allow Casavant Frères to have a pipe organ in one of the largest concert halls in China.

Announcement of a contract of $2 million by SOPREMA (Asia Pacific Division) with the Qingdao Airport: The supply and installation of a waterproofing solution for the roof of the new Qingdao airport, entirely manufactured in Drummondville.

Announcement of the opening of the first CACAO 70 establishment in Tianjin, China: The opening of Cacao 70 in Tianjin is expected at the end of March 2018. The growth of the chain in China will allow the creation of 20 jobs in Quebec over the course of the next three years.

Announcement of grants as part of the FRQNT-NSFC Bilateral Research Team Exchange Program of the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies and the National Science Foundation of China and the Short-Term Exchanges program: Four yearly grants totalling $160,000 were awarded to Quebec teams. Selected projects were in the areas of geology and climate change and optics and photonics. Three grants were also awarded as part of the Short-Term Exchanges Quebec-China Program in order to encourage lasting collaborations between Quebec and Chinese researchers.

Announcement of a first tripartite scientific collaboration project in neuroimaging and neuroinformatics between Quebec, China and Cuba by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (Santé, Nature, Technologies), National Science Foundation and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba, who benefit from a shared grant: The trinational Normal and Pathological Cognitive Aging project was positively received by the three partners. The financial support for this tripartite Quebec-China-Cuba project will amount to close to $1 million over three years.

Partnership concluded which enabled the firm sale of 28 snow blowers in several Chinese cities over the last 12 months, valued at $1.5 million, between the Quebec company RPM Tech and its Chinese partner Shenyang Deheng.

Partnership concluded which led to the manufacture of 50 cold air blowers for several Chinese government airports, with sales worth more than $10 million between the Quebec company RPM Tech and its Chinese partner Weihai Guangtai.

Links:

To consult the Premier’s during the breakfast presentation in collaboration with the Canada China Business Council: http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.qc.ca/actualites/allocutions/details.asp?idAllocutions=920

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