Rocky Canada-China relations worry some P.E.I. immigrant entrepreneurs

Some Island entrepreneurs with ties to China areworriedtheongoing tension between the Canadian and Chinese governments could ultimately hurt business,according to the Chinese-Canadian Association of P.E.I.

Paul Yin, the association's president and a business owner himself,says some immigrants who've moved to the Island through the Provincial Nominee Program have expressed concerns to him.

"They are a little bit afraid about the two countries' situation, becauseit could influence their economic business," Yin told CBC through an interpreter.

"They focus on business between China and Canada. So the relationship between the two countries influences the business."

Fear of trade, visa restrictions

Canada's relationship with China has been particularly strainedsince early December, when the RCMParrested one of China's top business executives, Huawei CFO MengWanzhou, at the request of U.S. justice officials.

In the days that followed, two Canadians were detained in China.There's been a heightened state of political tension between Ottawa and Beijing ever since.

Yin points to the many Chinese immigrants on P.E.I.,whose businesses involve trade with China, and could be affected if trade restrictions were imposed by either government.

He saidsome other immigrantrun businesses in China that employ Canadiansdepend on the Chinese government issuing them working visas.

"They haven't felt any influence by the situation. But they're afraid that maybe that could change in the future," said Yin.

P.E.I. government silent on strained relations

The P.E.I. government declined to comment on the ongoing tensions and the potential impact on the province'srelationship with China.

Premier Wade MacLauchlan has long workedto grow that relationship, which the government said last fall had generated over $64 million for the Island economy, through trade, educationand tourism.

In fact, adelegation of P.E.I. government officials andbusinesses visitedChina in November just a month beforeMeng'sarrest in an effort to boost trade.

"I hope the risk will disappear," said Yin. "China and Canadahave a long relationship, and a good relationship. So I think there just may be some misunderstanding between the two governments. But they'll clear it up."

CBC reached out to several other Island business ownersand entrepreneurswith connections to China, but all either declined to comment or didn't returnour calls.

A representative of the P.E.I. Connectors program, which supports immigrant entrepreneurs, declined to comment as well, calling it a "federal matter."

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