Anchorage - As Prime Minister Stephen Harper waited for his jet to be refuelled Tuesday evening en route to Beijing, word came that the Chinese government has lifted all restrictions on the export of Canadian pork into the Middle Kingdom.
The market is, at best, worth $50-million a year but the move could be seen as a goodwill gesture on the part of Beijing in anticipation of the Prime Minister's visit. It could also be contrasted with Ottawa's decision last month to slap punitive tariffs on the import of Chinese steel piping.
There are no particularly pressing disputes in need of resolution during this trip - not "gets" as they say. Rather, the trip is intended to promote high-level contacts between Chinese and Canadian political and business leaders in an effort to improve the woesome trade imbalance between Canada and China, now our second-most important trading relationship, but one in which Chinese imports far outstrip Canadian exports.
But now we can sell them pork - and hey, it's a start.
John Ibbitson