Eby's 10-day Asian trade trip eyes growth potential in Malaysia
B.C. Premier David Eby speaks during an announcement in Vancouver on Monday, May 26, 2025. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)
VICTORIA — British Columbia government staff say Malaysia is being included in an Asian trade tour by Premier David Eby and other ministers as part of a bid to diversify trade away from the United States.
Asked at a technical briefing on the trip why the nation was included alongside the much larger trading partners of Japan and South Korea, staff pointed to Malaysia's demographics, with a younger population that's still growing.
Eby's 10-day trade mission departing Sunday will also include Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, Parliamentary Secretary for Asia-Pacific Trade Paul Choi and business leaders.
It's Eby's second trip to Asia since becoming premier in late 2022.
The briefing on Wednesday heard that Japan, with a population of 123 million, ranks third among B.C.'s trading partners, accounting for 10.4 per cent of exports, while South Korea with a population of 52 million ranks fourth, accounting for about 6.6 per cent.
Malaysia, with a population of 34 million, ranks 16th among B.C.'s trading partners.
Malaysia also currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a continental trading bloc, with which Canada is currently negotiating a free trade deal.
Eby is not going to mainland China because it has imposed tariffs on Canadian food, including B.C. shellfish.
This report by Wolfgang Depner of The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025.
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