Nearly 1,000 Chinese and Canadian entrepreneurs gathered at the China World Hotel in downtown Beijing Friday, discussing ways to boost economic cooperation and trade between the two countries.

They were divided into topic groups on agriculture, telecommunication technology, construction, natural resources, tourism and transportation.

A Canadian business delegation, headed by Minister of International Trade James Peterson, is composed of 250 representatives from industries ranging from financial service, energy, natural resources, agriculture, telecommunications, bio-technology to aviation and tourism.

China, the world's most populous country and the one with the fastest economic growth, has changed the world economy and provided great opportunities for Canada, especially in the energy, technology and service industries, Perterson said.

He urged the Canadian companies to formulate "China strategies" and to expand cooperation with their Chinese partners.

Sino-Canadian trade and economic cooperation have been on the rapid increase in recent years, said Ma Xiuhong, vice-minister of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Trade between the two countries exceeded 10 billion US dollars in 2003 and hit 15.5 billion US dollars in 2004, a jump of 55 percent, Ma said, noting that the two countries vowed in 2003 to double trade volume by 2010.

China is Canada's second largest trade partner and Canada is China's 10th largest trade partner, he said.

Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin arrived here Thursday for a four-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The two countries signed 10 cooperative documents in the fields of culture, resources, energy, agriculture research later Thursday.