PRESIDENT MARY McAleese concluded her six-day visit to China yesterday with a breakfast meeting with business leaders, taking time to address the tourism and food and drink sectors.
Ireland last year celebrated 30 years of diplomatic relations with China, and Mrs McAleese’s visit highlighted just how strong ties are between the two countries.
During her visit she met Xi Jinping, widely tipped to replace President Hu Jintao when he steps down in 2012.
At an early morning meeting hosted by Enterprise Ireland, the President said both Ireland and China shared an interest in innovation and enterprise. She said Irish companies working with Enterprise Ireland increased their sales in China by 35 per cent last year.
“We have a lot to offer each other. Ireland has a reputation for technology-led and export-focused companies,” she said, and listed off some of the areas where co-operation would work, including IT and telecoms, education and training, environmental and engineering, the life sciences, medical devices, aviation and other areas.
There are 115 Irish companies with a stake in China – a sharp rise from 40 just five years ago. Many of these are in the education sector, which has tripled over the last five years, and China is Ireland’s seventh most important trading partner. Trade with China is worth about €4 billion annually.
The president told a Bord Bia event that there was a growing realisation in Ireland of the need to build closer links to China.
“More and more of Ireland’s leading food and drink companies are establishing bases in China. They see that doing business in China is fundamental to their future and they understand that effective relationships can only be developed through long-term partnerships,” she said.
At a Tourism Ireland event, Mrs McAleese officially launched a book by Madam Chen Danyan which reflects her travels in Ireland and is called Swimming over the Deepest Ocean.
“Millions of visitors come to Ireland from all over the world as tourists and, with the relationship between Ireland and China thriving as never before, we hope to see tourism become one of the most important areas of our co-operation,” she said.