An unusual experiment is taking place in Shanghai, one the Canadian government hopes will help pry open a vast new market for Canada's beleaguered softwood industry. Supported by $645,000 in financial aid from the federal and B.C. governments, the B.C. Institute of Technology has dispatched a handful of its own instructors to China with the task of passing on the secrets of North American-style wood frame construction. There are just 10 Chinese construction teachers per class, but it's hoped these students will spread the gospel of wood to their own Chinese students when they complete the course in the spring. "This is a seeding process, we are kick-starting this and hopefully it will grow," said John English, dean of the School of Construction at the B.C. Institute of Technology. "The Chinese students themselves are quite receptive, and we are obviously doing a sales job, taking time to demonstrate to them that [wood-frame] is a very sound technology." Others are not so sure. "It's not something that's going to happen overnight," said Laurence Cater, publisher of Madison's Canadian Lumber Reporter, an industry newsletter. "The world is awash in lumber. It's not as if the market wasn't already oversupplied." Since being hit by U.S. softwood duties of 27% in May, Canadian lumber producers have been frantically searching for new markets. After all, even today the United States is the largest single buyer of Canadian softwood and the damage caused by the duties has been devastating, especially in British Columbia, where the industry accounts for about 20% of industrial production. The drive to open up new markets is being spearheaded by the Vancouver-based Council of Forest Industries, a B.C.-based industry association. It is easy to see why China was targeted. With 1.3 billion people, it is the most populous nation on the planet. It is also developing at breakneck speed, which makes it an almost unimaginably rich prize for enterprising industries on the hunt for new markets. At present, nearly all building in China is done with concrete and masonry. Canadian officials argue wood frame construction - which essentially means building the skeleton out of plywood and two-by-fours - offers a slew of major advantages. They say it's easier to insulate, less expensive and more resistant to earthquakes. As well, a house built with wood can be completed in about half the time it takes to build a masonry version, according to Mr. English. One of the biggest hurdles is convincing the Chinese to alter their building codes, which at present mostly do not allow for wood houses. For their part, the Chinese have expressed interest and are in the process of writing new building codes. In the fall, a group of Chinese government officials travelled to the B.C. Institute of Technology to learn what to look for when inspecting wood-frame buildings. It is hoped they too will pass on their knowledge back in China. "This is a technology transfer," said Mr. English, who is waiting to hear if the government will fund the project for another year. Critics say that even if the Chinese do opt to modernize their building techniques, there is little reason for them to buy Canadian lumber. They are shrewd and price conscious. According to Mr. Cater, the Chinese are far more likely to buy from producers closer to home who can sell at a fraction of Canadian prices.