VICTORIA — It’s far from being one of British Columbia’s top trading partners, but Agriculture Minister Lana Popham says Malaysia is being included in an Asian trade tour as part of a bid to diversify trade away from the United States.
Premier David Eby, Popham, Parliamentary Secretary for Asia-Pacific Trade Paul Choi and business leaders leave Sunday on the 10-day mission that will also include Japan and South Korea.
It’s Eby’s second trip to Asia since becoming premier in late 2022. Popham acknowledged that B.C. does not trade a lot with Malaysia now. “But that is why we are going there,” she said Wednesday. “They have let us know that they are interested in trading.” According to government figures, B.C. agricultural exports to Malaysia totaled $10.7 million in 2024 with total trade to Malaysia totaling $162 million, a far cry from the $5.6 billion worth of trade with Japan and $3.6 billion with South Korea. Asked at a technical briefing on the trip why Malaysia was included, staff pointed to the southeast Asian nation’s demographics, with a population that is still growing and is younger than either South Korea or Japan….Source: ctvnews.ca/vancouver benimbahiss.com
Saturday, May 9, 2026
