A look at some of the key moments Friday during Trudeau’s ongoing visit to China

SHANGHAI — A quick look at some of the key developments Friday during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ongoing visit to China.

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The prime minister talked trade and investment with business leaders and a group of women entrepreneurs. He spoke of closer commercial ties between Canada and China and stressed the importance of opening doors for small and medium-sized businesses. “We will continue to strengthen relationships with individuals and companies around the world, with the aim of growing our economy and middle class back home,” he said.

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The visit then took on a lighter mood. Trudeau doffed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves for a series of events that had a campaign-style feel. He became an acting basketball coach at Shanghai Nanyang Model High School, which teaches English in grades 10 and 12. He shouted instructions from courtside as his squad, dubbed the Raptors, faced opponents coached by former National Basketball Association star Yao Ming. “It’s important to take a stand on issues that matter to you,” Trudeau, a former teacher, told hundreds of cheering students who crowded around the court before the friendly game.

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Trudeau also dropped in at a busy local restaurant that specializes in Montreal-style smoked meat and is run by a Montrealer. He worked the room, chatting with customers. He and the owner even discussed the right choice of mustard for a smoked-meat sandwich. 

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In the afternoon, the prime minister spoke at an event hosted by Canadian insurance firm Manulife, which was launching a program that rewards physically active customers with a free wearable fitness device and a year of free coverage. After his talk, he was joined on stage by several people in a slow-moving dance that combined the Chinese art of tai chi with yoga. “I’m here in China this week to talk about all of the great partnerships that we’re working on, and that are going to happen between Canada and China,” Trudeau said in his brief remarks.

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On Saturday, Trudeau is to fly to Hangzhou, where he will meet Jack Ma, the founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba and later attend the G20 leaders’ summit in Hangzhou. He will preside over the launch of a Canadian “pavilion” on Alibaba’s Tmall platform alongside billionaire Jack Ma, Alibaba’s founder and chairman. The pavilion will enable Canadian sellers to tap into China’s rapidly expanding middle class, which now comprises some 300 million people, and also allow Chinese consumers to buy products from Canadian companies online. Alibaba is the world’s largest e-commerce platform.

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The Canadian Press