Ontario - The Next Leader in Global Ginseng?

"Canadian ginseng has long been recognized in Asia for its healing properties and superior quality. Long before the arrival of European settlers, Aboriginals originally used Canadian ginseng for its healing properties and appreciated it for its cooling effect that helped to relieve stress, calm the body and strengthen internal organs. Research studies are being conducted for Canadian ginseng in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, prevention of respiratory infections, and improvement of memory, as well as leading edge work on breast and prostate cancer."

PR-USA.net - Government of Canada Helps Ontario Ginseng Growers Association Boosting Competitiveness in Global Ma

Wild Canadian Ginseng and cultivated Canadian Ginseng could provide great competition for Korean brands in coming years. I'm not an expert so I have no idea how the quality stacks up, but no matter: it is good to see Ontario stepping up and moving outside their traditionally conservative mindset on trade to help promote this emerging international industry. -LWB

Canada's Major Role in Modern China

From the Group Comes the Nation: China’s First Mass Political Organization, the Baohuanghui

Photo via UCLA Library Digital Collections.

"Chinese civil society took a big step forward in 1899 with the founding of the Chinese Empire Reform Association, or the Baohuanghui 保皇会 (literally the “Protect the Emperor Society”), in Victoria, Canada...The Baohuanghui became the largest and most influential overseas Chinese political organization during its late Qing heyday, far surpassing Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary groups in scope and influence, both inside and outside China."

http://www.thechinabeat.org/?p=3178

Getting away from the muckraking rags of late, we turn to the China Beat for a bit of scholarly investigation into the role of Canada in the formation of modern China.  Canada--where Sun Yatsen met Liang Qichao; where the attempted assassination of Kang Youwei took place--has had a major role in Chinese history.  Here Jane Leung Larson investigates the Baohuanghui and its crucial role "in spreading the acceptance of constitutionalism, nationalism, and popular sovereignty among Chinese both outside and inside China."  Amazing reading!

LWB

Does China Still Need Foreign Aid?

Should Canadian Foreign Aid Go to China?  (Toronto Sun)

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2011/02/24/17395606.html


"Congratulations China, but a man in space must mean it no longer needs foreign aid."  I remember The Economist posing this question, back in May 2003 after the launch of Shenzhou 5.  The question hit a bit closer to home when the Canadian press asked if China's interests in Canadian Oil Sands where funded by Canadian aid money. The question reposed in a recent article by the Toronto Sun is a bit skewed, however, if you look at money given for the recent earthquake--especially in light of the contributions from the Chinese community.  On the other hand, perhaps this kind of aid is investment in our own future too, as Dean of the John Hopkins School of International Studies, David Lampton, points out.  If China is unable to provide assistance to its own people or its own environment, that would turn into misery for the world economy, not only China.

LWB

Chinese Immigrants: Why they come, why one third return

Yu's frank report, titled "An Empirical Study of Recent Mainland Chinese Migration to Vancouver", is a gold mine of combining data from Statistics Canada with on-the-ground research. Yu makes it clear that the city's ethnic Chinese have become a force in marketing, trade, education and culture.

Chinese immigrants: why they come why one third return
Chinese RE-immigration is going to be a hot topic in the coming years.  Gold mountain has moved back across the Pacific -LWB

Hong Kong: Asia's Most Canadian City

There is one Canadian citizen in every 13 households in Hong Kong, says a new survey by Vancouver-based Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

via The Toronto Star:  http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/944412--hong-kong-asia-s-most-canadian-city

LWB