A nine-person Fianna Fáil Oireachtas group, led by the Government Chief Whip, Ms Mary Hanafin, is discussing trade links and human rights issues during a trip to China. Michael O'Regan, Parliamentary Reporter, reports.
The group is visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Xian.
Ms Hanafin said the visit was "an excellent opportunity for the Fianna Fáil party to strengthen links with China, which have grown increasingly closer since the official visit of the Taoiseach in 1998". The Chinese Premier has since visited Ireland, while there has been a number of other reciprocal visits by Irish and Chinese Ministers.
The Fianna Fáil delegation was invited by the Chinese Communist Party as representatives of Ireland's main ruling party.
Ms Hanafin said that formal visits by a Government party, as opposed to an Oireachtas delegation, were unusual.
Meetings have been set up with groups called the Research Institute on Human Rights and the Taiwan Affairs office. "We are also seeking to find out how we can help Irish groups who want to work in China," she added.
Ms Hanafin said trade relations between China and the Republic had grown hugely in the last few years. "There was an increase of 48 per cent in our imports from China in a year. Equally, exports from Ireland to China have increased also."
She added that China's deputy minister for international affairs had offered help to Irish companies that might be encountering difficulties.
Education was also on the agenda, she added. "There are third-level institutions in Ireland with partner colleges in China and they are anxious to expand on that."