Premier Alison Redford promoted her much-touted Canadian energy strategy in Beijing today, arguing that cooperation between provinces to build infrastructure through each other's territory will help open access to burgeoning markets such as China.

In speaking notes and audio provided by her office, Redford told a Canada-China investors' forum that Alberta is foreign investment-friendly and is the best source for the energy that China needs to grow.

"I know that the 21st century will in many ways be a Chinese century, and I believe that Alberta can and should play a major part in it," the premier said in the midst of her four-day trade mission to China.

Redford emphasized Alberta first, saying the province offers excellent returns for investors, secures commercial contracts by the rule of law, and respects and protects foreign leaseholders' rights.

But she also spoke about her push for a Canadian energy strategy, which has been laid out broadly by Redford in recent months as a shared plan to let all of Canada realize energy ambitions in a mutually beneficial way.

"Under the strategy, every province will keep control of its own energy," she said in Beijing.

"But we will try to agree on common principles to let us build infrastructure on each other's territory, agree on ways to protect the environment and compensate those affected, and obtain the social license needed to expand production to help meet global demand.

"While this might seem to be a purely Canadian matter, a Canadian energy strategy will have significant implications for China. The arrival of so much new energy in global markets will increase the diversity and the stability of supply. China will have many more choices, more investment opportunities and more options to lock in supplies for the long term."

Redford also spoke to her desire to see Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline project get federal approval.

Although the opposition from environmental and some First Nation communities is fierce, Redford said the pipeline – which would carry 525,000 barrels of oil per day from northern Alberta to Canada's pacific coast – is the outlet to Asia the province has been hoping for. She said the likelihood of the project becoming a reality in just a few years time is "promising."

Redford met with Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing on Tuesday and today also made an address at CIBC/Bennett Jones reception.

On Thursday she will meet with Chinese government officials and representatives from the China National Petroleum Corp. and the China National Offshore Oil Corp.