BC Canada Pavilion in Beijing

With the proven success of BC-Canada Place in Torino, the re-emergence of Asia as an economic power, and the Beijing 2008 Summer Games on the horizon, it was decided that a similar Pavilion would be developed in China. For five months the British Columbia Canada Pavilion (BCCP), situated across the street from Tiananmen Square, in the heart of Beijing, provided a spectacular opportunity to profile British Columbia as Canada’s Pacific Gateway. It was particularly important to develop a strong business program for the Pavilion in Beijing as B.C. companies have been under-represented in the China market. In a 2006 report, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada estimated that only 665 Canadian and 105 B.C. companies had a presence in China. The Business Program at BCCP was designed to respond to this situation by introducing a large number of B.C. organizations to the market in a way that would accelerate them through the China business learning curve.

The British Columbia Canada Pavilion assisted in positioning the Province as the pre-eminent economic and cultural crossroads between Asia and North America. In addition, the British Columbia Canada Pavilion has aided in building new relationships and strengthening partnerships between two great nations – Canada and China.

The 21,000 square-foot Pavilion greeted visitors with a dramatic view of 13 stunning wooden arcs, representing Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories.

The first floor of the Pavilion introduced visitors to B.C.’s business, tourism and regional highlights through an immersive experience that combined visuals and sound in a seamless adventure. As visitors moved through the exhibits, they were transported to a land of pristine beauty, multicultural communities, rich natural resources and innovation in business. The first floor exhibit was organized according to the five elements of Chinese philosophy: metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Metal featured B.C.’s mining and minerals sector; wood presented B.C.’s stewardship of the forests that yield Canada’s top export; water embodied B.C.’s unique coastal regions and Pacific gateway connections; fire stood for B.C.’s passion, creativity and innovation; and earth symbolized B.C.’s agricultural riches and commitment to sustaining this bounty.

The second floor was a flexible business and meeting centre, where government and private industry representatives from China and Canada were able to liaise and explore business opportunities and cultural exchange. Overall, 34 business programs were delivered at the BC Canada Pavilion, representing a full 60 days of programming. In total, 871 delegates attended from B.C. and Canada. These delegates were able to meet, network and discuss business with 2,378 qualified prospects from China. This resulted in 690 specific business connections being documented and a total of 16 Memorandums of Understanding being signed at BCCP.

« Back to Index