Qingdao, China

Atlantic Canada Lobster took centre stage at a series of high profile events in China during the Clipper stopover there. Qingdao was the location of the stopover of the Clipper Race fleet at the half-way point of its 10-month, 35,000-mile circumnavigation. The global trade-building initiative brought a delegation of seafood companies from Cape Breton Island and Newfoundland as well as Cape Breton University (CBU) and other regional businesses to Qingdao in China.

In Qingdao, the race opened doors to senior local government officials and business leaders who attended a special presentation and banquet to promote Cape Breton Island and highlight Atlantic Canada Lobster and Nova Scotia wines. A series of lobster dishes were created through a collaboration of chefs from the InterContinental Hotel in Qingdao and Ardon Mofford of Governor’s Restaurant in Sydney, Cape Breton, who supervised the menu.

The versatility of Atlantic Canada Lobster was also demonstrated through a lunch hosted by Cape Breton University to mark the arrival of the trade delegation and to pay tribute to crews from the Cape Breton Island and Qingdao entries following a visit to the boats at the Olympic Sailing Centre.

Chinese officials and businesses who attended these events were clearly impressed by the cuisine and trade delegation businesses subsequently held positive meetings to explore opportunities for importing more Atlantic Canada Lobster and other seafoods for processing in the Qingdao area, both for the domestic and wider Asian markets.

Philippe Gagnon of Premium Seafoods believes the visit has been a huge success. “We wanted to meet with Chinese companies and we have made some very good contacts where we know we’re going to do business in the future. This could open up new markets and lead to an increase in sales. We’re hoping that Snow Crab clusters and lobster will be a success here as the market is growing.

Cape Breton Island, through Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC), also clinched a rare tripartite trade collaboration deal with counterpart agencies in Qingdao, China and Hull and Humber, UK, during the latest stopover in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

Our weeklong visit to the Chinese east coast port of Qingdao concluded with the signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement is between government agencies representing international investment/community economic development in the three city-regions. It was signed by Madam Zhang Li, Director General of Qingdao Municipal Overseas Investment and Promotion Bureau; Sarah Pearson, Director of the Humber Office at regional development agency Yorkshire Forward; and Glen MacDonald, Commercial Account Manager at Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation.

Mr. MacDonald explained: “This memorandum brings together Qingdao, Cape Breton Island and Hull & Humber region to promote communication and cooperation between our companies and organizations, especially in two-way investment, technology cooperation, import and export, trade exhibitions, education, tourism and culture.”

Sarah Pearson, head of Yorkshire Forward’s Humber office, who is leading its trade delegation to Qingdao, commented: “We had a very successful trade visit here with the last Clipper Race and are delighted to be party to this MOU with Cape Breton Island and Qingdao. We look forward to developing existing business links as well as forging new ones.”

All three city-regions have common interests in various aspects of seafood with some common trade links already in existence; we will also explore the opportunity for reciprocal visits by business and government during forthcoming Clipper Race stopovers in Sydney in mid-June and at the race finish in Hull and the Humber on 17 July. The three-way relationship is expected to strengthen and form the foundation for future business development between the three international city-regions.

In particular, Cape Breton’s Clipper activations in Qingdao promoted the sale of Atlantic Canada lobster and seafood and Cape Breton Island marble. Representatives from CBU also promoted academic research and foreign student opportunities for Chinese students. 

CBU officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Grand High School in Qingdao that is expected to facilitate faculty exchanges. In addition, a visit to Ocean University generated an opportunity to discuss joint nautical research while meetings with senior officials of the Heilongjiang Coal Mine Authority focused on prospects for research and training linked to CBU’s new Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment.

As in all Clipper Race ports of call, a Commemoration of Friendship marking the extension of friendship by the First Nation community of Membertou and all the people of Cape Breton Island, was signed by the Vice Mayor of Qingdao, Mr Wang Xiulin.
 
A lasting memento of the Cape Breton visit was the gift of Jingdezhen porcelain to the Olympic Sailing Museum of Qingdao. The porcelain is a reproduction of Chinese dinnerware found at the Fortress of Louisbourg, on Cape Breton Island.