On October 9, 2025, the Canada China Business Council’s (CCBC) Quebec Chapter, together with the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal, co-hosted the 4th China–Quebec Cooperation Forum at Fasken in Montreal. The forum provided a platform for leaders from Quebec’s business, academic, and government communities to explore new avenues of collaboration, with a particular focus on the Hainan Free Trade Port and its role in China’s continued opening-up.

 

The program opened with welcoming remarks by Ponora Ang, Partner and Co-Leader of the Asia-Pacific Group at Fasken, followed by a keynote address from Consul General DAI Yuming, who highlighted the significance of Hainan’s development as a cornerstone of China’s reform and opening-up strategy. SHANG Jing, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Hainan Province, and Bijan Ahmadi, Executive Director & COO of CCBC, also delivered remarks emphasizing the opportunities for Quebec enterprises to engage with China’s evolving trade landscape.

 

CAI Xin, Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Consulate General, shared insights into China’s free trade zone policies and their alignment with international high-standard economic frameworks, and CHEN Jing, President of the Hainan Association of Quebec, encouraged Quebec businesses to seize emerging opportunities in Hainan.

 

A panel discussion titled “China–Quebec Cooperation: Expanding Horizons of Opportunity” featured Sylvain St-Amand, President of St-Amand International; Lory Wang, President of Arctica Food Group Canada Inc.; Louis Bellemare, Founder of SAMAJAM; and Derek Pickford, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at IDC DERMO. Moderated by Ponora Ang, the discussion examined practical strategies to enhance trade, investment, and cultural collaboration between Quebec and China.

 

The evening concluded with a networking reception, where guests also enjoyed and joined a Hainan dance performance, highlighting the province’s rich cultural heritage and added a warm, festive close to the event.

 

Thank you to the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal and to Fasken, the venue host, for their support in making this meaningful event a success.

 

 

 

Speakers:

 

DAI Yuming
Consulate General
Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal

 

Mr. DAI Yuming has assumed the position of the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal since December 2022. Since 1992, he worked at different positions in Department of African Affairs, Department of Personnel and Department of Policy Planning of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and served several terms at the Chinese Embassies in Liberia, the United States, Sierra Leone, Namibia, and Israel. He was also Deputy Mayor of Sanya City, Hainan Province, from 2016 to 2019.

 

 

Bijan Ahmadi
Executive Director & COO
Canada China Business Council

 

Bijan Ahmadi serves as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Canada China Business Council (CCBC), overseeing the operations and activities of the Council across its seven chapters in Canada and China.

 

Before joining CCBC, he co-founded and served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy (IPD) from 2018 to 2024. IPD is a non-partisan think tank operating in Canada and the United States, dedicated to fostering constructive engagement and interest-based thinking in international affairs.

 

During his tenure at IPD, Mr. Ahmadi launched the organization’s Asia research program in 2020 and its flagship annual conference, the Indo-Pacific Strategy Forum (IPSF), in Ottawa in 2021. Today, IPSF is recognized as Canada’s premier conference on the country’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. He was also the co-editor of Canada-China Brief, a biweekly policy newsletter providing the latest developments and expert insights on political and economic relations between Ottawa and Beijing.

 

In his work on China, Mr. Ahmadi has advised large corporations and SMEs on navigating Canada-China trade, policy, and regulatory developments. He has also spearheaded the publication of numerous research reports on China and Canada-China relations and led Track 2 diplomacy initiatives in collaboration with Chinese and American research institutions.

 

Mr. Ahmadi holds a Master’s degree in Global Diplomacy from SOAS University of London and a Master of Applied Science from the University of Toronto. Before founding IPD, Mr. Ahmadi worked in strategy and management roles in the financial services and real estate sectors, where he honed his skills in organizational leadership and operational planning. He also served on the executive boards of several Canadian non-profits and NGOs, including the Toronto branch of the Canadian International Council.

 

 

 

Ponora Ang
Partner, Co-Leader Asia-Pacific Group
Fasken

 

Ponora Ang is a Partner at Fasken and the Co-Leader of the Asia Pacific Group of the firm.

 

He is a manufacturing and product liability lawyer. In addition to his commercial litigation practice, Mr. Ang is well known to companies in the Asia-Pacific region for his legal and strategic advice regarding investment and implementation projects in Canada. He advises businesses from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia in different industries for their operations in Canada.

 

Mr. Ang counsels and represents clients in the areas of real estate, product liability, manufacturing, sale and leasing, insurance, and franchise law. He is regularly asked to represent the interests of manufacturers, producers, distributors, and sellers in the automotive, medical, security, and aviation industries. In addition, he regularly advises state-owned enterprises, private companies, and individuals from Asia seeking to expand their business activities in Canada in a variety of industries.

 

He received YBAM’s Lawyer of the Year 2010 award in civil and commercial litigation. Mr. Ang was also recognized in the prestigious Lexpert Rising Star 2021 / Top 40 Under 40 in Canada list for his legal expertise. In addition, in 2023, he was awarded the Medal of the National Assembly of Québec in honour of his numerous engagements for the society over the years.

 

Mr. Ang continues to be involved in a number of committees and boards of directors in Quebec, both in business and trade associations as well as for charitable organizations. In addition to his professional practice and community involvement, he is also a caregiver whose daily life was the subject of a documentary by ICI Radio-Canada in 2022.

 

 

 

Louis Bellemare
Founder
SAMAJAM

 

Louis Bellemare is the founder of SAMAJAM, a global leader in participatory musical entertainment. Over the past 25 years, his vision of uniting people through collective music-making has led him to produce more than 6,000 live shows and events in 10 countries, engaging over 1.2 million participants worldwide. In China, his 2018 creation, the SAMAJAM Kid & Family Music Show, became one of the most successful international productions ever staged, touring with up to six teams at once and delivering more than 1,500 performances across 40 cities. Drawing on his background as a venture capitalist, creative entrepreneur, and live show creator, and with nearly 10 years of experience living and touring abroad in culturally diverse countries, Louis brings unique expertise in international business development, with a particular focus on Asia.

 

 

 

CAI Xin
Consul in charge of Economic Affairs
Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Montreal

 

 

 

CHEN Jing
President
Hainan Association of Quebec

 

 

 

SHANG Jing
Deputy Director General
Hainan Provincial Foreign Affairs Office

 

 

 

Sylvain St-Amand
President
St-Amand International

 

Sylvain St-Amand is president of St-Amand International, a company specializing in the internationalization of education. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of the World Centre of Excellence for Destinations, a non-profit organization that guides destinations toward sustainable development and biodiversity protection. The CED signed a partnership agreement with Tsinghua University in January 2025.

 

Sylvain brings extensive experience in international education management. From 2019 to 2023, he headed the International Relations Office of the University of Luxembourg, following his tenure as director of the International Relations Office at the Université du Québec à Montréal from 2006 to 2019. Prior to this, he served as executive director of the Center for International Management Studies in the Faculty of Management of McGill University from 1990 to 2006.

 

Throughout his career, he has been deeply involved in China-related initiatives, developing numerous university partnerships and organizing bilateral events such as the Canada-China Forum on Innovation, Science and Technology, which he organized in 2018 in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His academic contributions include teaching “Performing Consulting Work in China” at UQAM (Winter-Spring 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and “Doing Business in a Multipolar World” at the École nationale d’administration publique from 2016 to 2019.

 

He currently serves as a board member of the Canada-China Business Council – Quebec Chapter Advisory Committee and has been a recipient of a Canada-China scholarship, which enabled him to study modern Chinese history at Fudan University in 1986-1987.

 

 

 

Lory Wang
CEO
Arctica Food Group Canada Inc.

 

Lory Wang is a foodie and second-generation entrepreneur. After her studies in finance and accounting, and several years auditing SMEs, she decided to take the plunge. With the awakening of the Chinese market for imported goods and her love of food, she co-founded Arctica Food Group Canada in 2012. The group’s mission has always been to offer natural, healthy and delicious food, with a certain cachet, in which west meets east. Arctica Food became the pioneer and leading brand in Canadian wild sea cucumbers and established Quebec’s sea cucumber industry. Since the Chinese middle class clientele is open-minded but exposed to too many options, Arctica Food focuses on food education to build product recognition and brand loyalty. With her team, Ms. Wang continues to develop new food products that are nutritious and customized to the eating behaviours of the Chinese consumer, such as honey, soybeans, cooking oil, health supplements, etc. As a board member of Groupe Export Agroalimentaire, she wants to promote Quebec’s high-quality food products, sometimes even unknown locally, and encourage more people to export overseas and to build international relationships. Food brings us closer; let’s share it together!

 

 

 

Derek Pickford
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
IDC DERMO

 

Derek Pickford is Vice President of Sales & Marketing at IDC Dermo, a Canadian doctor-founded dermo-cosmetic brand recognized for its science-backed formulations and transformative results. In this role, he leads cross-functional teams spanning sales, marketing, digital, education, and business intelligence, driving growth locally and spearheading expansion across English Canada and international markets.

 

With more than a decade of experience in the beauty and FMCG industries, Derek is known for building strong retailer partnerships, shaping disruptive go-to-market strategies, and delivering consistent above-market growth. His leadership has been recognized with multiple industry accolades, including Walmart’s Vendor of the Year Award for excellence in collaboration and business results.

 

Passionate about consumer-centricity and purpose-driven initiatives, Derek has championed programs that combine performance with sustainability, community support, and diversity. His modern leadership style emphasizes data-driven decision making, collaborative innovation, and a culture of excellence and empowerment.

 

Outside of work, Derek enjoys travel, food, and creating meaningful memories with family and friends.