Shale-gas deal sweetens Harper's Beijing trip

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http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/NB04Cb01.html

MONTREAL - Chinese energy policy has increased its focus on commercial ties with Canada and the acquisition of technologies for exploration and development of unconventional natural gas in general and shale gas in particular.

This emerges from preparations being made in Beijing to receive Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper next week. He is due to arrive on Wednesday for a five-day visit to continue progress over a wide range of issues covering the economy and trade, energy and resources, and science and education, to public health and law enforcement.

China's ambassador to Canada, Zhang Junsai, explained to the Canadian Press news service that the two countries "have every



reason to forge a stable and win-win partnership in the long run in the field of resources" in view of China's "rapid industrialization and urbanization, and its demand for energy and resources" on the one hand and, on the other, Canada's "rich[ness] in energy and resources" and "stable political situation as well as favorable conditions for investment".

Chinese state-owned enterprises invested US$5 billion in Canada's resource sector in 2011 alone, nearly one-third of the nearly $18 billion they are reported to have spent buying oil and gas companies worldwide last year.