Alberta’s government is moving to deepen economic ties with China, announcing the creation of a new advisory committee aimed at expanding trade and attracting investment from the province’s second-largest trading partner.Premier Danielle Smith said the Alberta-China Advisory Committee will provide strategic advice to help grow key sectors including energy, agriculture and agri-food, as the province looks to capitalize on increasing demand from China.“China is already a key market for our energy, agriculture and agri-food products, and we are focused on expanding trade,” Smith said, adding the committee will help secure more investment and strengthen market access for Alberta goods.The new body held its first meeting on April 8 ahead of a planned trade mission led by RJ Sigurdson, who will chair the committee.Sigurdson said Alberta producers are well-positioned to benefit from growing demand in China, particularly in agriculture, and the committee will help ensure the province remains competitive in a shifting global market.“China represents a key opportunity to expand markets for our world-class agriculture products,” he said..The move comes as Alberta’s exports to China reached nearly $9.6 billion in 2025, accounting for roughly 38% of the province’s non-U.S. merchandise exports. China is now Alberta’s largest export market outside the United States.Energy exports have played a growing role, with crude oil shipments increasing significantly following completion of the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline, reaching more than 220,000 barrels per day last year.The province is positioning itself as a stable global supplier of both food and energy, with officials pointing to China’s demand for commodities ranging from agricultural products to petrochemicals and manufactured goods.The advisory committee includes members drawn from business, academia and community leadership, including representatives from the University of Calgary and private sector firms involved in energy, logistics and international trade.While the committee will not have formal decision-making authority, it is expected to meet up to four times a year and provide recommendations to government. Members will not be paid, aside from travel reimbursements.The initiative also aligns with broader federal efforts to strengthen Canada’s economic relationship with China, even as geopolitical tensions continue to shape the landscape of international trade.With roughly 177,000 Chinese Canadians living in Alberta and longstanding commercial ties between the two regions, the province is betting that a more focused strategy will help unlock further growth in one of the world’s largest markets.
