I've had some reservations about comments made here that KRY has an important role to play in China's hoovering up of all of Vennie's resources. But this article highlights another factor in our favour that I haven't thought of before - the Chinese have a generally good relationship with Canada and its main business players. Li-Ka Shing's son has been set up in Canada for many years; the father has been an important investor in Canada in many different sectors, also for many years - I know, I know, wrong connection. But they are but one small part of a vibrant, well-connected community of Chinese ex-pats in Canada who, in my personal experience, maintain very strong links to Hong Kong, and to a lesser extent the PRC. I find that within most families of migrants, there is often one or two members who shuttle back and forth regualrly between Canada and Hong Kong, generally involved in expanding their business interests in South China.

Our JV enmeshes KRY in this growing network of companies and individuals who starddle the fence between Canada and the PRC, and certainly at this point in time, there's no reason for the Chinese to give us short shrift in any facet of the JV.

I saw a few minutes of a TV show yesterday which looked at the effect the global meltdown had on the average joe in different countries in the world. One of the interviewees mentioned that if you speak to any member of the PRC's governing party, they will all admit that the only relevance they have left in China is to deliver financial growth to all of its citizens.

This all bodes well, I think, for our JV and its possibilities.