Canada, host of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, is putting its business, tourism, culture and commerce on display this month in Beijing at the British Columbia Canada Pavilion.

An official (left) from British Columbia, Canada tells Chinese visitors about the British Columbia Canada Pavilion in Beijing. [China Daily]

"The Pavilion will give people around the globe the opportunity to learn about the people, opportunities and innovation in British Columbia (BC) and to forge new social and business relationships," said Gordon Campbell, provincial premier. Vancouver is BC's largest city.

"When Beijing won the bid for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Vancouver was applying for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) helped us a lot by sharing their experience with us," Campbell told China Daily.

Just steps away from the southeast corner of Tiananmen Square, the pavilion is open from May to September. Tickets cost 30 yuan ($4). Each week, it will feature different themes including innovation, environmental design, forest products and film.

Dashan (Mark Rowswell), the most famous Chinese-speaking foreigner in China, is the Goodwill Ambassador of the Pavilion. Visitors are eligible to enter a draw each week to win a private dinner with him.

"The pavilion represents a wonderful opportunity to build on our close and long-standing commercial and cultural ties with China," said David Emerson, Canada's minister of International Trade and minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics.

"We are very glad the BC Canada Pavilion begins to showcase in Beijing. I think the Olympics provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen the two countries' relationship," said Tu Mingde, vice-president of COC.

The Chinese market offers many opportunities for Canadian companies, particularly in agriculture, information and communications technology, and transportation. In 2007, China overtook Japan as Canada's third-largest export market. Canadian merchandise exports to China rose more than 150 percent between 2000 and 2007.

On May 22, Campbell announced that BC would provide substantial financial support for the victims of the May 12 earthquake in China.

"The 2 million C$ for the Red Cross will go towards immediate medical needs. We will also match funds donated at the BC Canada Pavilion in Beijing," he said.

The province is now working with its forest industry and the Chinese government to explore ways to assist in meeting the short-term emergency housing needs of the estimated 5 million people left homeless in Sichuan.

"China and British Columbia share close cultural, historical, economic and personal ties. More than 10 percent of BC's population - over 435,000 people - is of Chinese heritage and this tragedy has kindled a strong desire in British Columbians to help our friends, family and colleagues in China," said Campbell.

"We support Chinese people's efforts to recover, to rebuild, and to move forward from this difficult period. I am confident the people of China will rise from this current challenge."