BC Forest Minister Says We Will Sell Lumber Before We Leave China

By 250 News

Prince George -     Forest Minister Pat Bell says he wants to be absolutely clear, "We are here in China to sell dimension lumber,  we are not here trying to sell logs,  nor have we talked to buyers about it."

"The Chinese like our lumber because it is a stable supply  from known suppliers and that is why we have a leg up on the Russians,"  Pat Bell told Opinion250 news,  from China.

The Chinese may take our lumber and make it into other products such as furniture, but they want our dimension lumber, they want to work with us not compete with us.

Bell says he toured the center of the earth quake zone last night and it was hard to believe, of the 20,000 people who lived in one small city,  only 10,000 survived the quake. "What is strange",  said Bell "is that they are back re building apartments and homes using the same bricks that failed."

Bell says   there are efforts underway to show the Chinese the advantage of building with wood. "A brick costs about 10 cents in China, but they have been using up a lot of the farm land taking the red clay off the top. They see the value of switching to wood. "

The Minister of Forests and Range says he hopes to sign a deal for lumber on Monday local time.

Bell has headed a contingent of forest heavy weights from the province,  who have banded together,  to talk to the Chinese about the value of using Canadian wood and just how affordable our product is.

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