Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan President Todd Lewis and Chinese Ambassador Cong Peiwu discuss trade relationship. (Twitter/@AgProducersSK)

By Alice McFarlane

Saskatchewan/China Trade

Saskatchewan and Chinese officials discuss trade

Feb 24, 2020 | 4:57 PM

Representatives from a provincial farm group and Chinese officials met today in Ottawa to address pressing agriculture issues.

Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) President Todd Lewis met with Cong Peiwu, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Canada to discuss the longstanding trade relationship between the two countries.

Lewis, who is in the capital for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s annual meeting, met with Peiwu at the Chinese Embassy this morning.

Lewis said the Chinese market is incredibly important to Saskatchewan farmers and expressed appreciation for China as an agricultural trading partner. He said the meeting was organized by the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP).

Lewis said during the 30-minute meeting, they discussed a number of topics including the importance of the relationship between the two countries.

MLAs clash over foreign ownership of Saskatchewan farmland

Nov 10, 2025

Outstanding community members

'We all loved him': respected Prince Albert broadcaster passes away

Oct 09, 2025

Nearing the end of harvest

Meals in the field and hats in combines: a look into end of harvest traditions

Oct 09, 2025

“Saskatchewan had billions of dollars every year in canola, peas and wheat sales and other commodities like potash. We talked about how China is an important market for us,” he said. “We also spoke about coronavirus and African swine fever that has decimated their pork industry. We’re going to regain the relationship with China and resume trade, just like we have for the past number of decades.”

The trade dispute was on the table but Lewis said they only spoke about the issue in general terms.

“I made the comment that when politics and food mixes nobody wins. There’s people who want our product and we certainly want to sell it and it’s unfortunate when politics gets involved. It was a very diplomatic meeting at that level, but at the same time, I think they left with a better understanding that Saskatchewan producers provide safe and reliable products and have for a number of years and look forward to continuing in time.”

On the subject of meat products, Lewis said with China dealing with African swine fever he said Saskatchewan has a lot of products that can hep them.

“They’re working hard to eliminate those issues. We said Saskatchewan has a lot of products that can help them,” he said. “We’ve had a long relationship with them through the Universities of Regina and Saskatchewan with the number of Chinese students that attend those schools.”

Lewis said they would welcome the opportunity to have Chinese officials visit Saskatchewan and see their farms first hand.

“He did say they were thinking of doing some visiting in Western Canada and I said they certainly would be welcome to Saskatchewan anytime and to see a farm. We’d be happy to host them on a farm tour in the spring or fall.”

Lewis said there is an advantage to meeting with farmers rather then diplomats.

“It’s maybe a little different approach but he was certainly willing to talk about farming and talked about the resiliency of the agriculture sector in China. That’s something Saskatchewan and Chinese farmers share is we’re both very resilient and both of our countries are interested in producing food and feeding people,” he said. “We’ll get over this rough period over canola.”

–

alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF