The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, travelled to China in late October 2025 to engage with senior government officials, and to meet with key Chinese and Canadian industry leaders to facilitate new business opportunities and promote Canada's high-quality agriculture and agri-food products.

In Beijing, MacDonald met with the Minister of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC), Sun Meijun. The ministers emphasized shared priorities in animal health, plant health, and food safety. They agreed to renew the Memorandum of Understanding between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the GACC and increase technical collaboration. Technical working groups at the officials’ level will meet in November.  Minister MacDonald also highlighted the importance of restoring market access for Canadian agricultural products in China.

The Minister also met with Huang Sanwen, president of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA). The discussion focused on increasing institutional agricultural collaboration between Canada and China in areas of shared interest, such as sustainability and global food security.

 
In Shanghai, Minister MacDonald attended the opening of a new Rôtisseries Benny location, a Québec-based restaurant chain, and visited Hema, a premium grocery store that carries Canadian products such as PEI lobster; CoolFarms, a vertical greenhouse showcasing Canadian technology; and McCain Foods. 

In Qingdao, Minister MacDonald visited the Canada Pavilion at the China Fisheries and Seafood Expo (CFSE), one of AAFC’s seven flagship Canada Pavilions. 

To conclude his mission, the Minister delivered a keynote address at the Canada China Business Council (CCBC) Business Forum.

Canada’s relationship with China is long-standing and China remains an important commercial market for Canadian businesses.

China is Canada's second-largest customer globally for agriculture, agri-food, and fish and seafood products, with sales of approximately CA$9.7 billion in 2024.

The Indo-Pacific region, which includes China, encompasses 40 economies, more than four billion people and $47.19 trillion in economic activity, and is the world's fastest-growing region and home to six of Canada's top 13 trading partners.

Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada November 3, 2025 news release