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Economic Development and Trade Minister Deron Bilous is heading to China and South Korea for two weeks in an effort to drum up more business and investment in Alberta.

Bilous will be overseas March 18-31, spending time in five Chinese cities — Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing — before ending the trip with two days in Seoul.

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“It’s important we build on our strength. When we talk about diversification, it’s not just diversifying our economy beyond oil and gas, it’s also diversifying our markets,” Bilous said Thursday. “Right now, we do export a significant amount of agriculture, agri-foods and forestry products, but there is definitely the potential for much more.”

The first meeting listed on Bilous’s itinerary is with Ron Hoffmann, Alberta’s senior representative for the Asia Pacific Basin.

Highlights include a discussion with the Hong Kong Trade and Development Corp., meetings with a pair of science and technology groups, attendance at a Chinese petroleum technology exhibition and participation in two events to promote Canadian beef.

China is Alberta’s second-largest trading partner, while South Korea ranks fifth. Exports to both countries totalled more than $3.8 billion last year, he said.