BEIJING - The prime minister put some star power behind his high-level trip to China.
An immensely popular Canadian entertainer has been named as a goodwill ambassador to the country.
Mark Rowswell, known as Dashan, is a TV host who shot to stardom thanks in part to his mastery of Chinese comedy.
Rowswell has long been a public Canadian face in China and was an official representative of Canadian delegations at the 2008 Olympics and the World Expo.
He was named as a goodwill ambassador as Prime Minister Stephen Harper begins a four-day visit.
Harper's focus on the tour is strengthening personal and economic ties to the country.