Santa came early this year. I am not talking about the recent success and turnaround of the Maple Leafs (although this is good) but rather Prime Minister Harper's long awaited visit to China.

Check out the CCBC link below for full details of the Canada China Joint Statement https://www.ccbc.com/Portals/0/Highlights%20of%20Canada%20China%20Joint%20Statement.pdf

The highlight, no doubt, was the granting of "Advanced Destination Status" so that Chinese tourist groups can be booked to come to Canada and Canadian destinations can advertise in China. This is huge for Canada on many levels. For southern Ontario, this will be a shot in the arm for our tourist spots, such as Niagara Falls, but it will also encourage more Chinese students to attend Canadian universities, since it is easier for their parents to come and visit.

More importantly, it officially thaws some icy political relations and allows business to proceed full steam ahead. Canada has always had a warm rich relationship with China. Now, we need to turn that good relationship into practical business opportunities.

I hear many times that the good deals in China are long gone but this is not true. There is so much new technology, and as well, personal and business needs are constantly changing so there are always new opportunities.

The message from Prime Minister Harper was clear. We need to look to the east for opportunities. We will always have our traditional trade with the US but it should not preclude expansion to China and Asia.  In fact, expanding into China should not take away from your US sales as you can do both.

Once again, I will remind businesses that proper entry into China or dealings with China demands proper preparation. It's the old  "plan your work and work your plan" scenario and also get advice. I was speaking to a furniture company last week who is looking at expansion into China in the form of a warehouse operation to streamline their imports to Canada. I commended them for calling first and asking for advice. We discussed their options and that helped them in their planning.

In 2010, the economy will pick up and opportunities will be many but proper preparation in important so please use all the resources you can.

Happy New Year to all and may 2010 see growth for all.