Canadian companies are showing renewed interest in the Chinese market as bilateral ties improve, officials and business leaders said at a promotion event in Toronto for the China International Import Expo.

The event, held on Friday, was part of a cross-Canada road show ahead of the ninth CIIE, to be held in Shanghai in November.

Speaking at the event, Luo Weidong, China's consul general in Toronto, said businesses and policymakers worldwide are searching for stability and new growth opportunities amid economic uncertainty.

"An increasingly open, innovative and sustainable China will inject stronger momentum into the world economy and bring unprecedented opportunities to global partners, including Canada," Luo said.

China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) will continue to prioritize high-quality development, technological innovation, green transition and high-level opening-up, he said.

"Over the next five years, China and Canada will see broad cooperation opportunities in energy, agriculture, consumption, finance, foreign trade and investment, as well as emerging industries," he said.

Luo described the CIIE as "more than an exhibition", calling it "a bridge, a gateway and a road toward the future".

China has remained Canada's second-largest trading partner for years, with bilateral trade reaching $90 billion last year, he said.

"Canada is actively advancing trade diversification and seeking broader and more stable global partners," Luo said.

"More and more Canadian companies recognize that China is not only a huge market with a complete industrial chain system, but also a partner full of innovation, openness and win-win cooperation."

Deng Jun, president of Bank of China (Canada) and the Canada China Chamber of Commerce, said Canadian companies' participation in the CIIE has grown steadily in recent years.

"Canadian exhibitors have increased from around 50 companies in 2022 to more than 120 in 2025, and we expect that momentum to continue," Deng said.

Registration for the Toronto promotion event exceeded in-person capacity, reflecting rising interest among Canada's business community in engaging with China, he said.

Toronto and Ontario are particularly well positioned to benefit from closer engagement with China because of strengths in advanced manufacturing, financial services, agri-food, technology, life sciences and clean energy, Deng said.

Bijan Ahmadi, executive director of the Canada China Business Council, said this year's expo comes at "a significant moment for Canada-China economic relations".

"In recent months, particularly following Prime Minister (Mark)Carney's visit to China and the agreements reached between both sides, we've seen increased high-level engagements as well as a more constructive environment for advancing practical cooperation between our two countries," Ahmadi said.

The recent developments were already being reflected in business sentiment, he said.

"In our most recent Canada-China Business Survey, a strong majority of responding Canadian companies said they viewed China as a priority market in their global strategy," Ahmadi said.

More than two-thirds said they plan to expand operations in China, and more than 80 percent believe Carney's reengagement approach will have a positive effect on their business relations with China, according to the poll.

"These data points signal a growing confidence among Canadian companies in the opportunities available in the China market," Ahmadi said.