Today, Alberta's energy companies are active everywhere from the rainforests of Ecuador, the deserts of Africa, and Inland China . Alberta's energy industry is one of the most technologically advanced in the world. In some specialised areas like cold-weather technology and oil sands equipment, it is the most sophisticated. We're particularly proud of our work with, and in, the Asia Pacific, which includes long-standing strategic relationships with our sister provinces of Heilongjiang, Kangwon, and Hokkaido. We're looking forward to the 15th World Petroleum Congress in Beijing this fall, and to welcoming you back to our province for the 16th congress in June of the year 2000.
Japan is Alberta's largest offshore trading partner.
And Japanese companies are key investors in Alberta's oil sands. Taiwanese interests own a major portion of one major petrochemical plant northeast of Red Deer, in central Alberta. And earlier this year, during my latest of three trade missions to the Asia Pacific, Alberta firms reported signing half a billion dollars worth of agreements in Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines. Like you people, Albertans are explorers, risk-takers, and hard workers. And we have one basic goal for our province.