Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with Taoiseach of Ireland Micheal Martin in Beijing on Tuesday, with both sides pledging to enhance bilateral ties and deepen cooperation in various fields.
Li said that with the joint efforts of both countries, the China-Ireland strategic partnership for mutually beneficial cooperation has continued to achieve solid progress, and new achievements have been constantly made in cooperation in various fields.
China is willing to work with Ireland to consolidate and enhance political mutual trust, accommodate each other's major interests and core concerns, promote high-quality practical cooperation, so as to continuously promote bilateral ties to new heights and achieve a higher level of mutual benefit and win-win results, the Chinese premier said.
Li said China and Ireland enjoy strong economic complementarity. Both sides should form greater synergy between their development strategies and deeply explore the potential for cooperation in various fields.
China is willing to expand trade in services such as aircraft leasing, insurance, medical care and health with Ireland, and deepen cooperation in green energy, digital economy, artificial intelligence and other fields. China will further facilitate personnel exchanges, strengthen cooperation in the field of culture and people-to-people exchanges, and continuously cement the public foundation for friendship between the two countries, Li said.
Noting that the international economic and trade order has been severely impacted nowadays, the premier said China is willing to enhance multilateral communication and cooperation with Ireland, safeguard multilateralism and free trade, and promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction.
Ireland will hold the rotating EU presidency in the second half of this year. It is hoped that Ireland will play an active role in promoting China-EU cooperation, Li said.
Martin said Ireland is firmly committed to further deepening the strategic partnership for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, and is willing to enhance exchanges at all levels with China to promote cooperation in economy and trade, green economy, people-to-people exchanges and other fields. More Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest in Ireland.
Ireland is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with China, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and jointly safeguard world peace, stability, development and prosperity.
The Irish side is willing to play a constructive role in promoting dialogue and cooperation between the EU and China, Martin said.
Prior to the talks, Li held a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People to welcome Martin on his official visit to China.
During the welcome ceremony, a military band played the national anthems of Ireland and China. Afterwards, Martin, accompanied by Li, inspected the Chinese People's Liberation Army Guard of Honor.
Chinese premier holds talks with Irish Taoiseach on bilateral ties
