Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin called for strengthened economic and cultural ties between Ireland and China during an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Beijing on Tuesday.
Martin, who was on an official visit to China from Jan 4 to 8, 2026, recalled the visit of President Xi Jinping to the Shannon Development Zone in western Ireland in 2012. During that visit, Xi emphasized the importance of mutual learning, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, and making persistent efforts for the long-term, healthy, and stable development of bilateral relations.
The Shannon Free Zone, established in 1959 as the world’s first free trade zone, offers valuable insights that could benefit China’s economic reform.
"Where we're back in the 1980s, later when Chinese delegations came to Ireland, they went to the Shannon Free Development Zone, which was the first zone in Ireland to bring in foreign direct investment that inspired Chinese governments to do similar zones in China. So invariably they do keep referring to Shannon as an example of the kind of how sharing experiences can help countries develop and grow. He [President Xi] also referenced to Shannon Free Development Zone, so he recalled all of that and so it was a warming,” said Martin.
Martin's visit marked the first time an Irish government head has visited China in 14 years, and he is also the first European leader to visit China since the beginning of the New Year.
Martin also advocated for greater cultural exchanges between the two countries, emphasizing the potential for mutual enrichment through literature, music, and artistic collaboration.
"I think that's something I would like to expand and develop even more. Yeats is our national poet who obviously at the time of our independence he captured the spirit of that time more than anybody else. Our music is attractive here as well. And you mentioned Riverdance. We had the Chieftains years ago coalesced also, worked with and collaborated with Chinese musicians. I think in music and in dance and in literature, there will always be commonality. There will always be opportunities for sharing of ideas and experiences and so forth, and that's something that I would like to encourage," he said.
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), a prominent Irish poet and Nobel Prize winner, is celebrated as one of the foremost figures in 20th-century literature. Riverdance is a theatrical show centered on traditional Irish music and dance.
Irish Taoiseach calls for enhancing economic, cultural cooperation with China
The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is emerging as a key engine for China's fast-growing low-altitude economy by leveraging its dense industrial networks, efficient logistics systems, and rapid innovation capacity.
From logistics and manufacturing to urban services, the region is building an integrated industrial chain that allows low-altitude industries to scale up at unprecedented speed, thus turning drone-based applications from isolated trials into large-scale, commercial operations.
China's 15th Five-Year Plan, covering 2026 to 2030, calls for the cultivation of new pillar industries and the accelerated development of strategic emerging industrial clusters, including the low-altitude economy.
At a drone operations center in Bao'an District, Shenzhen City in south China's Guangdong Province, a dozen logistics drones take off and land within minutes. Urgently needed production parts, documents, and small parcels are dispatched from here to cities in the province including Dongguan, Zhongshan, and Zhuhai.
Behind these high-flying aircraft lies what observers describe as an "invisible industrial chain", built on speed and efficiency.
"Look at this aircraft. About 90 percent of its components come from nearby areas. Relying on Shenzhen's strong logistics capabilities and its complete supply chain, these parts can be delivered to our factory within half an hour for assembly, processing, and production," said Li Kunhuang, person-in-charge of Shenzhen GODO Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.
Once a new product is unveiled, testing and calibration begin immediately at the drone testing field. As soon as the process is completed, the new models can be put into real-world operation, realizing almost “zero delay” from research and development to application.
Supported by a robust industrial chain, low-altitude routes in Shenzhen are effectively connecting the urban landscape. From its Bao'an District to Songshan Lake in Dongguan City, production components can be delivered within one hour. Supplies are transported between Zhuhai City's Xiangzhou Port to Dong'ao Island in just 25 minutes. And light industrial goods can travel round-trip within a single day between Guzhen Town in Zhongshan City and Xinhui District in Jiangmen City.
More low-altitude application scenarios are expected to be implemented in the near future.
In Qianhai District, Shenzhen is accelerating the construction of a pilot demonstration zone of low-altitude integrated three-dimensional transportation hub.
"We have built the country's first low-altitude integrated three-dimensional transportation hub, and are gradually developing a pilot flight zone that integrates multiple scenarios such as inspection, logistics, and cultural tourism. This will provide technical support for the next step of commercializing cross-border logistics and emergency rescue services across the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area," said Wu Xuemin, head of the Shenzhen Qianhai Low-Altitude Integrated Three-Dimensional Transportation Hub Pilot Demonstration Zone.
Integrated supply chains propel Greater Bay Area's low-altitude economy growth
