Mr. Chair, we're of course monitoring closely the increasing investment of China in the region. As I mentioned previously, for many countries, China is a very important source of trade and investment. Most countries don't see relations with China and countries like Canada and other countries in the west as an either-or choice, and they don't want to feel forced to choose.
That being said, for Canada, of course we use our network of embassies and trade commissioners to promote Canadian trade and investment with the countries in the region. Competing with a country like China, an investor like China, means promoting the benefits that come from trade with a country like Canada, meaning our high-quality commercial and investment practices that respect international standards and take into account growing trends like environmental and social governance. For countries interested in engaging and trading in these areas, we are a partner of choice.
Also, we continue to benefit from our network of free trade agreements and foreign investment protection agreements in the region. We have eight of each of those in the region.