Chinese Premier Li Qiang stated on the 6th that China and Ireland have strong economic complementarities, and that both countries should strengthen the alignment of their development strategies and tap the cooperation potential across various sectors. He also pointed out that Ireland will assume the rotating presidency of the European Union in the second half of this year, and expressed the hope that Dublin will play a positive role in promoting China-EU cooperation.
At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Irish Prime Minister Martin arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on the afternoon of the 4th, beginning a five-day official visit to China. This marks the first visit by an Irish Prime Minister to China in 14 years. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Martin on the morning of the 5th at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing; in addition to Beijing, Martin will also visit Shanghai.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Li Qiang held talks with Martin on Tuesday afternoon at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, stating that Xi Jinping and Martin had a meeting the day before, providing strategic guidance for deepening relations between Beijing and Dublin. Thanks to the joint efforts of China and Ireland, the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries has continued to deepen and grow more substantial, with new achievements attained in various fields of cooperation.
Li Qiang stated that China is willing to work together with Ireland to continue consolidating and enhancing political mutual trust, taking care of each other's major interests and core concerns, advancing pragmatic cooperation with high quality, further elevating bilateral relations to new heights, and achieving a higher level of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
In terms of economic and trade cooperation, Li Qiang pointed out that China and Ireland have strong economic complementarities, and that both sides should strengthen the alignment of development strategies and tap the cooperation potential in all areas. China is willing to work with Ireland to expand and improve the quality of bilateral trade, explore cooperation in aircraft leasing, insurance, medical care, health, and other service trades to better meet the needs of the peoples of both countries, and welcomes Irish enterprises to make good use of platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the China International Fair for Trade in Services to increase product promotion.
Li Qiang also called on both sides to jointly seize future development opportunities, deepen cooperation in green energy, digital economy, artificial intelligence, information technology, life sciences, and other fields, while further facilitating people-to-people exchanges, and strengthening cultural, tourism, educational, and local interactions, so as to further solidify the public support for friendly relations between the two countries.
Li Qiang pointed out that at present, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise globally, and the international economic and trade order is being severely impacted. Beijing is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Dublin in multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, uphold multilateralism and free trade, and promote the development of the international order toward greater fairness and rationality.
Xinhua News Agency cited Martin as saying that the peoples of Ireland and China have enjoyed long-standing friendship and fruitful economic and trade cooperation, enhancing the well-being of both peoples. Ireland is firmly committed to deepening the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries, and is willing to strengthen exchanges at all levels, leverage complementary advantages, promote cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, medical care, agriculture, green economy, artificial intelligence, and other fields, and foster closer educational, local and cultural exchanges.
Martin stated that Ireland welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in Ireland. Dublin attaches importance to the significant role Beijing plays in international affairs and is willing to work closely with China in multilateral coordination, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and jointly safeguard world peace, stability, and development and prosperity. Ireland is also willing to play a constructive role in promoting China-EU dialogue and cooperation.