Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I hope to visit China on an official visit at a mutually convenient date in the coming months. The Government attaches great importance to widening and deepening bilateral relations with China, including the political and economic relationships. China was at the heart of the Government's Asia strategy and remains a key high-growth and high-potential market for Ireland under the strategy and action plan for Irish trade, tourism and investment to 2015. The local market team, set up under the strategy, includes all of the State agencies present in China in addition to the embassy in Beijing and the consulate-general in Shanghai. The team is chaired by our ambassador in Beijing and has been actively working to build on our growing economic and trade relationships with China. Ireland had a modest trade surplus with China in 2010. Total merchandise trade between Ireland and China was worth almost €5.3 billion in 2010. Trade in services during the same period was worth €2.3 billion. Over 130 Irish companies now have a permanent business presence in China, an increase of 300% over the past five years. I hope to visit China in the near future in order to build on the excellent bilateral relations that exist between our two countries; to have discussions with my opposite number in China on matters of mutual concern; to promote Irish interests; and to further enhance our political, trade, investment, education and tourism links with China. A visit must take place at a time mutually convenient for my Chinese counterpart. This entails continuing discussions between the Irish and Chinese sides through diplomatic channels.

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