The gunshots heard near Venezuela's presidential palace on Monday were fired by the police in response to unauthorized flight of drones over the area, according to Venezuela's Ministry of Popular Power for Transportation and Communications.
The ministry added that no exchange of gunfire or clashes took place at the scene and that the overall situation nationwide remains stable, with the public order functioning normally.
Intense gunfire and explosions were heard in downtown Caracas earlier on Monday, including in areas near the presidential palace. Venezuelan government buildings were evacuated amid the incident, which came after the January-3 U.S. military strikes on Venezuela and capture of President Nicolas Maduro.
According to media reports, power outages occurred in some parts of the city.
Unauthorized drones prompt gunfire near Venezuelan presidential palace
Unauthorized drones prompt gunfire near Venezuelan presidential palace
Growing people-to-people connections between Ireland and China are driving more bilateral collaboration, building on efforts to make China a welcoming destination for Irish visitors, said the chairperson of the Irish Chamber of Commerce in China Peter Markey.
Markey underscored that the visa-free policy for Irish passport holders has significantly enhanced accessibility, fundamentally changing perceptions of China.
"It certainly makes it a lot easier. For people who know it's now visa-free, it does change your perception of China. This is much more of a welcoming country. And they are happy to include it on the list of places they want to go," said the business advocate.
In addition to tourism, he underscored the potential for growth in educational exchanges as well as technology and nutritional industries.
"Certainly education is an area where we think there's quite a bit of growth. We do see more and more Chinese people going to Ireland for their education, as well as the Irish universities and technical institutions setting up joint ventures here in China. One of the big areas of Irish exports to China is around IT, computer services, and so forth. Irish food produce is growing strongly, as are Irish beverages, particularly whiskey and similar kinds of drinks. Tourism is growing strongly," he said.
The cultural dimension of the China-Ireland relationship is also gaining traction. Markey highlighted the upcoming performance of the Irish pop band Westlife in Shanghai, which symbolizes the growing appreciation for cultural exchange. He said that these interactions are instrumental in deepening people-to-people ties.
"The cultures are not totally different. We have a lot of common things that we build our cultures on. And, obviously, in China, one of the most important things is eating food. And obviously, Irish people like eating as well. When we all sit around a table, you build rapport and you build cultural connections. What we have in common is the basis to build relationships and build business on," he said.
China’s visa-free policy, innovative market help strengthen bilateral ties: Irish Chamber of Commerce
