In advance of the CCBC Roadshows to Nanjing and Hangzhou taking place March 24 and 26, the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai provided a briefing on East China with a particular focus on Nanjing and Hangzhou on March 9 from 8:00 – 9:00 pm EST / March 10 from 9:00 – 10:00 am CST.

This session provided an overview of the Trade Commissioner Service and gave participants a sense of the economic development and opportunities in these two Chinese cities. The session was delivered by Jean-Christian Brillant, Deputy Consul General & Senior Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai.

This was the second installment of CCBC’s 2021 Emerging Destination Series, designed to help Canadian companies stay informed and educated on opportunities in key cities in China.

The webinar was moderated by Edward Dai, CCBC Shanghai Chapter Director. The event was free of charge for CCBC members and non-members.

The link to the video presentation is available upon request. Please contact your regional Chapter Director to request access:

About the Speaker

Jean-Christian Brillant
Deputy Consul General & Senior Trade Commissioner
Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai

Jean-Christian joined the then Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada (DFAIT) in 2003 as a Policy Officer with the Political Section of the Canadian Embassy in France (Paris). Following his return to DFAIT’s HQ in Ottawa, he held a number of policy and operational positions, mainly focusing on international security matters such as Canada’s participation in the international Campaign against Terrorism, Non-proliferation, Arms control and Disarmament, etc. He represented Canada on multilateral fora such as the United Nations Conference on Disarmament. Jean-Christian served as Deputy Director with the Afghanistan Task Force and conducted several missions to Afghanistan between 2008 and 2010. From 2010 to 2014, he was posted to the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macao as the Head of the Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Service. From 2014 to 2018, Jean-Christian was Counsellor (Commercial) at the Embassy of Canada in China (Beijing) where he led teams in charge of promoting Canadian exports in the areas of clean technologies, energy, forestry and infrastructure, amongst other sectors. He began his current assignment as Deputy Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai in August 2018.

The 2021 Canada-China Business Development Roadshow – delivered in partnership with the Canadian Consulate General in Shanghai and provincial representatives, with support from CanExport Associations – activates CCBC’s network across eight cities throughout China, bringing together investors, professionals and entrepreneurs to view showcases of Canada’s products, services, and technologies. Canadians are invited to join these roadshow sessions in a wide range of Chinese cities to introduce their firms for strategic partnerships, sales and/or investments.

CCBC will work with local Chinese governments and prominent industry associations to identify and secure pre-qualified participants of potential Chinese investors and channel partners. Investors, entrepreneurs and professionals from across East China will hear about the investment landscape as well as trading opportunities in Canada. We are currently offering Showcase Organization pitch slots to Canadian firms that want to expand their profile in China.

Upcoming roadshow dates and locations*:

• March 24/26: Nanjing/Hangzhou;
• June 23/25: Fuzhou/Xiamen;
• August 25/27: Shenyang/Qingdao;
• December 1/3: Guangzhou/Shenzhen

* Roadshow program dates and timing are subject to change