Canada would like to further economic ties with China, said visiting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper?in Shanghai?on Friday.

Harper announced the launch of four new trade offices in China by the Canadian government in cooperation with the Canadian Commercial Cooperation at a welcome banquet Friday night?in?Shanghai.

Addressing the banquet, Harper said, this announcement is a concrete step Canada is taking toward enhancing and expanding its economic ties with China.

The new offices are in addition to the two International Trade Minister Day launched in April, said Harper, adding that "Together, they will enhance our ability to support even more commercial links in exports, investment and innovation between our two countries."

According to Harper, since 2005 alone, two-way merchandise trade between the two countries has grown steadily each year by an average of more than 14 percent. During this period, Canadian exports to China have grown by more than 3 billion dollars.

The total bilateral trade is now valued at over 53 billion dollars. China is Canada's second largest merchandise trading partner and third largest export market.

Harper said, to help growing this relationship, the Canadian government has recently dedicated over a billion dollars into trade infrastructure on the pacific coast--the Asia-Pacific Gateway, which is an integrated system of ports, airports, road and rail connections that link Asia deep into the heart of the North American marketplace.

Facing the economic downturn, both Canada and China have been strong contributors to the collective efforts of the G20 to foster a genuine, global recovery, said Harper, noting that both countries need to keep voices strong and united at the G20 table.

"I look forward to welcoming President Hu to Canada next year when we host the next meeting of G20."

In June 2010, Canada will host the G8 summit in the Muskoka region of central Ontario and also co-host a G20 summit there with the Republic of Korea.

Harper also stressed the importance to remove protectionist barriers and ease trade restrictions, saying that pursuing freer trade is the most effective "antidote" to the current crisis.

By announcing Canada's second-round funding under the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, Harper vowed to enhance energy cooperation with China.

With the second phase of projects, Canada will have invested in twenty-eight clean technology projects worldwide, including fourteen new projects in or of benefit to China, said Harper.

The welcome banquet, co-hosted by Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and Canada-China Business Council, was held to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the launch of Canada's Trade Commissioner Service in Shanghai.