Harper Wraps Up Trip To China With Visit To Local Market

Stephen Harper wrapped up a four-day tour of mainland China, acknowledging Canada has only “scratched the surface” on what it can gain from closer ties with the economic dynamo.

The prime minister flew to Hong Kong on Saturday afternoon, ending his controversial first visit to China with a hectic final half-day in Shanghai – one where he scored some style points after receiving a scolding in Beijing.

He was mobbed by curious Chinese shoppers at a local market where he made an unscheduled stop ostensibly to buy a supply of Oolong for his tea-loving mom.

And he held an impromptu press conference on the roof of the Hyatt, where the prime minister could be photographed high above the city-scape and overlooking the broad Huangpu River.

There was little talk about human rights or the bruising he initially took from the Chinese leadership over his past neglect of the country, which was seen here as a sign of disrespect.

Instead, Harper said he has his eye squarely on devising strategies for capitalizing on China’s unrivalled economic transformation, which the night before he called the “the greatest surge in general prosperity in the history of mankind.”

A morning meeting with the top Communist party official of the Shanghai district saw none of the tension of his earlier bilaterals in Beijing as the two men talked about mutually beneficial ways of expanding ties, including on green technologies.

And in a noon-hour meeting with leading Canadian business leaders operating in China on Saturday, Harper told them that the opportunities in China were staggering, asking them for ideas on how the government could help.

“Canada has made a real significant impact here (but) at the same time we all sense we are only scratching the surface,” he told them.

According to the government, two-way trade has expanded at the rate of 14 per cent a year since 2008, but in relative terms, Canada is losing the race to gain a foothold in the country. Canada’s share in trade volume compared to other foreign countries has fallen to one per cent from an earlier 1.8 per cent.

Harper said he emerged from the meeting with some suggestions on how the relationship can be strengthened, and will be discussing those with officials upon his return to Ottawa.

Summing up his trip, Harper concentrated on the “achievables,” including finally securing a tourism deal that could bring $100 million a year to operators in Canada, and China’s lifting of a ban on pork imports.

The big prize, a foreign investment protection and promotion agreement, still eludes Canada, but in the communique signed by both countries, China agreed to speed up talks.

“Very few countries have major comprehensive economic agreements with China and this would be one moving along those lines, so that’s one we want to push forward,” Harper said.

He also expressed confidence that some kind of agreement on climate change will be achieved in Copenhagen, saying “the world needs a climate change deal.”

“It may not be everything that everybody wants, but it’s important that we make progress,” he said.

Canada is regarded internationally as a laggard on its commitment to action on climate change, but the prime minister has said no deal is practical unless emerging countries like China, now the world’s biggest contributor of carbon emissions, also participate.

Earlier, Harper and his wife Laureen got a taste of Shanghai at street level making an impromptu visit to a popular Yu Garden market, walking hand in hand along the curb as crowds gathered, in part attracted by the fleet of limousines signalling a VIP was present.

Some in the crowd recognized the Canadian prime minister and began shouting “Stephen, Stephen.”

The Harpers then entered the Son Ling Tea Garden, where they had tea with Mark Rowswell, the Canadian commissioner general for Shanghai’s Expo 2010, and a popular comedian in China known as “Big Mountain.”

Harper bought tea for his mother before crossing the street to shake hands and pose for photographs with a throng of curious locals.

“You’re popular here,” Laureen said.

It was an ironic remark given the rebukes the prime minister received during his two days in Beijing, where he was reminded four times by government leaders that after four years, it was about time he paid a visit to the country the whole world is now courting.