British Columbia and Alberta are located in western Canada and are two provinces with close bilateral trade and energy cooperation with China. The northern regions of these two provinces are the most important distribution areas for Canada's current national key energy development projects, and also the location of the China Canada energy trade corridor. Not long ago, our team came here for an interview and research. Chief of the Kitimat Indigenous Tribe: Chinese investment brings a 'huge leap'. 'Our town is beautiful, with all buildings no taller than three stories, harmoniously coexisting with ancient cedars and fir trees.'. ”At the seaside of Kittimat, Maureen Ness, the newly elected chief of the Heisra indigenous tribe, glanced over the fjord in front of me and painted a picture of her hometown. Kittimat, an industrial town located on the magnificent Pacific coastline in western British Columbia, is somewhat unfamiliar to Chinese readers. It is said that no Chinese journalist has ever been here before. But starting from 2025, its connection with China will become increasingly close. Canada is pushing for massive natural gas exports to reduce dependence on the United States, with China being an important target market. Kittimat was born in the 1950s due to the construction of an aluminum smelter. In order to retain employees, the aluminum factory specifically hired Clarence Stan, a famous urban planner in New York at the time, to draw a blueprint for this place. He designed with the concept of "Garden City", effectively separating industrial areas from residential areas and reserving large areas for expansion. Nowadays, there are less than 10000 residents here, mainly providing daily services for tens of thousands of workers from several local super large enterprises. Most of the workers are not permanent residents of the local area, but rather non local personnel on rotation leave. From the residential area, it looks like a distant mountain with arms half open, a peaceful harbor, and a burning oil and gas torch in the distance. This low-density living pattern, dotted with forests, is still used by Canadian urban planners and has laid the foundation for the long-term development of industrial cities. However, behind this tranquility lies the long-standing difficulties and struggles of indigenous communities on their development path. Nais explained that their tribe, which is based on matrilineal clans and still maintains traditions of hunting, berry picking, and fishing, has been plagued by "intergenerational poverty" in the past. Nowadays, the turning point comes with huge investments, and two large-scale liquefied natural gas projects are underway within its territory. Among them, the Canadian liquefied natural gas project involves Canada's first large-scale liquefied natural gas export facility, which began operation on June 30, 2025. Currently, it can process 14 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year, and the second phase can be expanded to 28 million tons. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) holds a 15% stake in it, and the Heisra tribe is an indispensable and important partner for the project. Another Cedar liquefied natural gas project is the world's first liquefied natural gas export facility in which indigenous people hold a majority stake, with the Heisra tribe owning 50.1% of the shares. The project is expected to be completed and put into operation in 2028. Nais said that for indigenous communities like Heisra, "it's difficult for us to raise funds for projects like this, so we rely heavily on partners like Bank of China to provide upfront funding support. She confidently stated, 'This is a huge leap forward for our community, and I believe it is the same for the whole of Canada.' In Canada, any project carried out on Indigenous land must be recognized by them. Chinese companies are commendable in handling their relationships with Indigenous peoples in Canada. In the interview, local residents expressed their gratitude and welcome for Chinese enterprises to invest, which shows the trust that Chinese enterprises have won in their local operations. When it comes to his views on the Chinese market, Mayor Phil Gomuth of Kittimat expressed a positive and open attitude. We would be delighted to see more investment from Chinese companies and banks, "he emphasized, noting that Canada has the strictest environmental and labor laws in the world, as well as a legal framework for negotiating with Indigenous peoples. He praised the participation of indigenous people in natural gas projects: "This is a highly innovative and visionary agreement. The Heisra tribe not only receives money, but also a certain proportion of the transportation capacity in the natural gas pipeline. This provides them with an industry that can train their own people and sustainably develop for decades to come. Without a doubt, cooperation with Chinese partners is beneficial for all parties involved." We flew drones and captured the huge liquefaction facilities of the Canadian liquefied natural gas project and the Cedar liquefied natural gas project across a narrow bay quietly shrouded in the mist of the fjord, with the natural gas torch burning brightly, illuminating the rugged coastline. Prince George's Chinese Mayor: 'I hope Chinese companies can set up factories here.' Prince Rupert Port is not far from Kittimat. This port is the deepest ice free port in North America and one of the closest ports in North America to Asia. Goods from China are unloaded from Prince Rupert Port, then transported by railway through Prince George, heading south to Calgary, and extending to the US market. Canadian commodities such as coal are being exported to the Chinese market in the opposite direction. In future plans, Canadian crude oil pipelines and power lines will cross this area, becoming a true "artery" of Sino Canadian trade. Departing from Prince Rupert Port, winding eastward along Highway 16, the beautiful Skina River and endless forests stretch out of the car window. Sometimes on the way, you may encounter freight trains unique to North America, dragging hundreds of carriages slowly forward. At an observation deck on the Skina River, we saw a spectacular sight of fish swimming upstream in the rapids. We drove 650 kilometers eastward to reach the first 'big city', Prince George. Prince George has a population of less than 100000, but it is not only an important hub for the Pacific Railroad, but also the closest important cargo airport in North America to Asia, known as the "Northern Capital of British Columbia". Prince George City Mayor Yu Xingyou is confident in its geographical advantage, as the city is located at the core of the trade corridor, connecting energy sources in the east and Pacific ports in the west. In addition to the land hub, the Chinese mayor is also considering an aviation hub and has specifically chosen to be interviewed at the entrance of the city's international airport. The shortest route from Harbin, China to Chicago, USA happened to fly over us. ”Yu Xingyou said. He put forward a big vision: "I hope that within ten years, our population will double to 200000 to 250000 people. Our international airport will develop into the most important technical terminal for cargo flights between Asia and the Americas, and become a cargo logistics center connecting Asia and the Americas." He said that Prince George City Airport is actively seeking to establish a sisters airport relationship with China's cargo hub airports to implement this vision. In Yu Xingyou's view, this local development blueprint actually aligns with Canada's broader strategic needs at the national level. He believes that Canada should actively engage in multi regional economic cooperation and establish close economic and trade ties with diverse partners such as Asia, Europe, and Africa, rather than relying solely on the traditional American market. Yu Xingyou highly praised the speed and scale of China's economic development, calling it an "unprecedented historical event in human history" and believing that it fundamentally changed the world order. He, who has visited China multiple times, said, "As a city on the Pacific coast, we must learn how to cooperate with China, this great economic force." He specifically listed several areas where he hopes to cooperate with China: "I really hope that an electric vehicle manufacturer can come here to build a factory. We have abundant electricity, water, and renewable energy. I also appreciate China's' modular housing 'technology in the construction industry and hope that they can come here to set up factories and help Canada solve the housing crisis." Alberta Indigenous leader: "We have a good relationship with Chinese oil companies." We crossed the towering Rocky Mountains from British Columbia to Alberta, and the terrain suddenly became clear. We arrived at the' energy heart 'of Canada. Unlike the rugged terrain of the West Coast, this place presents a rugged and majestic beauty of the plain. Under the clear and lofty sky, vast black soil stretches infinitely towards the skyline. This is the world's third-largest oil sands production area, accounting for nearly 80% of Canada's total output. Standing on this land, one can feel the surging energy deep underground. It is this force that supports the Canadian economy and maintains the energy link across oceans. A story about energy cooperation has been ongoing for many years in the border area between the northern forest and oil sands mining areas in the Asapasca region. In 2011, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) completed the acquisition of Canadian company Nixon and fully took over the Changhu oil sands project. A few years ago, a wildfire swept across this land. When we arrived at the oil field, the burnt trunks were still visible, but new trees were already growing. This seems to be a reflection of the Changhu project itself - not only is it the largest overseas acquisition by a Chinese company to date, but it is also a huge test of technology and patience. At Changhu Oilfield, we experienced the workers' canteen. I thought there were various Chinese dishes to choose from, but most of the cafeteria was staffed by foreign workers, and the buffet only had Western cuisine. Surprisingly, the cafeteria chef noticed that we had Chinese faces and asked if we wanted a bowl of oil splashed spicy noodles. Apart from this bowl of noodles, I hardly feel that this is a Chinese funded enterprise. The diversity and localization of employees are completely no different from other local enterprises. Creating local employment opportunities is the most direct contribution of Chinese enterprises to Canadian society. Not only CNOOC's Changhu Oilfield, but also Lisa Lichman, the Human Resources Director of PetroChina Canada, told us that nearly 90% of the company's approximately 200 employees come from local communities. Mike McLean, the head of human resources at Bank of China in Canada, also stated that their company typically has over 90% local employees. For Rachel Fers, a biotechnology graduate who has just graduated from campus, her experience at China Inspection and Certification Group Canada has laid a solid foundation for her career. This is my first job, and everyone here is very helpful, "she said." This job has allowed me to understand industry regulations in both China and Canada, and the technical knowledge and practical experience I have gained will benefit me for life. "In addition, incorporating Indigenous peoples into the company's supply chain system has become a standard practice for Chinese enterprises. Especially in oil companies, oil fields, pipelines, and service roads along the route are located on indigenous land. While accepting pioneers from afar, indigenous people also take on responsibilities such as material supply, short distance transportation, winter snow removal, environmental monitoring, safety patrols, fire prevention and rescue. We interviewed two Indigenous leaders in Alberta. Loretta Wakan, Chairman of the Metis Tribe in Fort McKay, said, "We are open because of our good relationship with Chinese oil companies. They bring value to our business and community." The CEO of the tribe's business group, Kristal Yang, looked further ahead: "Our goal is to succeed together and ensure that the community can thrive culturally, socially, and economically." At the end of the interview, a black bear wandering freely in the Changhu Oilfield factory left a deep impression on me. There are no people in the factory area