Premier Danielle Smith has a critical opportunity to improve Alberta's ties with China and boost trade, particularly in energy exports. Last week, B.C. Premier David Eby led a trade mission to China, not merely for a photo opportunity but to secure market access for B.C. lumber, critical minerals, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Alberta, meanwhile, risks being left behind despite favorable conditions.
The Case for a Trade Mission to China
Wenran Jiang, a Calgary Herald columnist, argues that Smith should follow Eby's lead and book a flight to China. The rationale is not ideological but practical, financial, and urgent. China remains one of Alberta's largest trading partners, with exports reaching nearly $9.6 billion in 2025, making it the province's second-largest export market after the United States. These exports include canola, beef, petrochemicals, and plastics.
The U.S. remains Alberta's top customer, but over-reliance on a single market is increasingly risky. Tariff threats persist, and pressure from Washington is growing. For a province built on exports, diversifying markets is essential for economic stability.
China's Economic Scale and Existing Investment
Canada-China trade equals the country's total trade with the European Union or the entire rest of the Asia-Pacific combined. Mexico trades at half that volume, and India, despite much hype, ranks 10th. These figures translate into jobs, royalties, and tax revenue for Alberta's schools and hospitals.
Chinese investment is already substantial in Alberta. Major Chinese energy companies have invested some $55 billion in the province's oilsands, operating facilities, employing Albertans, and paying provincial and municipal taxes. Since the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project began operations, Chinese refiners have been steady buyers of Canadian crude. In TMX's first year, Canada's crude exports to China topped $4.7 billion, with Alberta's share exceeding $3.9 billion, often at a premium over U.S. Gulf Coast prices.
LNG and Pipeline Opportunities
The LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat, backed by Shell with PetroChina as a partner, is built for Asia-Pacific markets, with China at the center. LNG Canada Phase II and a proposed new West-Coast crude pipeline from Alberta are both designated as national priority projects. Ottawa recently signed a parallel deal with B.C.: Premier Eby maintains the North Coast tanker ban as an environmental red line but accepts a southern-route new pipeline from Alberta and will not go to court to block it.
This means Ottawa is actively softening B.C.'s opposition to get Alberta's product to tidewater. Both Western premiers are now "looking west," and federal support is in place. Bilateral ties with Beijing are warming—Prime Minister Mark Carney visited China in January, the first Canadian prime minister to do so in eight years. Trade ministers are engaging, but trade does not happen in a vacuum. Provinces must do their part; Alberta cannot expect Ottawa to open doors while remaining silent.
