The Concerning Surrey "Belt and Road" Facility, Vancouver, BC Canada

The Concerning Surrey "Belt and Road" Facility, Vancouver, BC Canada

 

Feb 1 2026

My"ChinaWatchCanada" investigative ecosystem, has found a significant point of concern the development of a major logistics facility in Surrey, British Columbia, which journalists and serious researchers have duly linked to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

• Project Name: Originally billed as the 
  World Commodity Trade Center
   and later opened as the 
  Vancouver Logistics Park
   in July 2022.
• Location: Situated in the Campbell Heights industrial zone, strategically located between Vancouver International Airport and the U.S. border.
• Developers: The project was developed by North America Commerce Valley, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based Shing Kee Godown Group. It was conceived in Beijing as part of a network of import-export facilities servicing a commodities hub near Beijing called Yanjiao International Trade City.
  
  CCP Ties: The facility's opening ceremony was attended by China's Consul General in Vancouver, who praised its role in expanding trade between B.C. and China. It reportedly involved organizations sanctioned by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, a branch of the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department. 
  
  Connection to David Eby and the BC NDP

  
  • Political Origins: While construction began in 2018 following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the previous BC Liberal government's premiere Christy Clark, the project has continued to develop under the BC NDP.
    
  • Advisors and Influence: Investigative reports, such as those by The Bureau and The Breaker, have scrutinised Ding Guo, an advisor to David Eby, for his reported role in promoting B.C.-China trade relations. Ding has been linked to the mobilization of Chinese-language media and voters in ways critics claim align with state-led initiatives like the BRI.
    
    
    
  • Continued Engagement (2026): Despite letting a formal BRI MOU expire in 2021, Premier David Eby's government continues to pursue trade with China as a "key partner," recently signing agreements to boost wood construction exports to the country as part of an ongoing diversification strategy. 
    
    Security Concerns
    • Intelligence Warnings: Experts like Charles Burton (a former Canadian diplomat and fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute) have warned that such facilities could give China an unfair advantage in supply chains and allow for economic coercion without adequate government oversight.
    • Transnational Repression: The "China watch" community has also noted that Surrey has become a flashpoint for protests against the CCP, with Surrey RCMP managing ongoing clashes between pro-democracy activists and those allegedly linked to foreign influence networks. 
    The enormous 

    Vancouver Logistics Park

    , specifically the 

    World Commodity Trade Center

     in Surrey, is a 470,000-square-foot facility developed to facilitate trade between Canada and China. 

    

    

    

    Ownership and Development

    The facility is a joint venture between a Chinese state-sponsored company and a local firm:
  • • Primary Owner: North America Commerce Valley Development Ltd. and Shing Kee Godown (Canada) Holdings Ltd.. These are subsidiaries of the Hong Kong-based Shing Kee Godown Group, led by Chairman Guo Taicheng.
    • Key Ties: Guo Taicheng is also a high-ranking official in the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (AFROC), an agency linked to the Chinese Communist Party's United Front Work Department.
    • Local Partner: The Pollyco Group, a local real estate development firm, partnered on the project's inception. 
      
      Goals of the Facility
      The project was originally proposed as part of China’s global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Its core objectives include: 
      • Market Entry: Providing small-to-medium-sized Canadian businesses with a platform to export food and resources directly to the Chinese market.
      • Strategic Hub: Serving as one of several international hubs for the Yanjiao International Trade City, a massive commodities center on the outskirts of Beijing.
      • Import/Export Synergy: Acting as a "one-stop" logistics center to import Chinese-manufactured goods into North America while exporting Canadian commodities to Asia.  
        
        Specific Companies Involved
        While the facility provides space for various tenants, the following entities were explicitly linked to its 2022 opening and operations: 
        • Shunfeng Express Canada: A major Chinese logistics and delivery firm.
        • Manna Industrial Property: Involved in the facility's management or representation.
        • Chinese State Airlines: Representatives from China Eastern, China Southern, Xiamen, Sichuan, and Hainan Airlines attended the launch as strategic partners.
        • COSCO Shipping: A Chinese state-owned shipping giant involved in the broader logistics alliance.  
          Note on Current Market (2026): While the Vancouver Logistics Park remains a focal point for B.C.-China trade, other major logistics facilities in Surrey's Campbell Heights area, such as the 
          Coastal Heights Distribution Centre
          , are now fully leased to non-Chinese firms like Skechers?.