Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 14, inclusive, together.

The questions pertain to my recent visit to China and the visit to Ireland by Vice President Xi Jinping in February. Ireland and China have a strong bilateral relationship. More than 30 years of diplomatic relations have seen ever-increasing levels of trade, cultural exchanges and growing numbers of students travelling between our countries. Nevertheless, I believe the additional opportunities available to us from this relationship are enormous. One of my priorities since taking office has been to highlight these opportunities and to work to deepen further and cement our relationship.

High-level visits in both directions are an important sign of this developing relationship. In September 2011, I was pleased to welcome Mr. Zhang Gaoli, a senior member of the Communist Party of China, to Dublin. As the House is aware, Vice President Xi Jinping and his large accompanying delegation visited Ireland from 18 to 20 February. Ireland was the only EU member state in his itinerary, which also covered the United States of America and Turkey. Vice President Xi Jinping confirmed an invitation to me from Premier Wen Jiabao to visit China at the end of March, which I was happy to accept.

My visit to China on behalf of the Government, coming so soon after the visit to Ireland by Vice President Xi Jinping, which received widespread and positive media coverage in China, was an excellent opportunity to take the relationship to a new level. The key objective, therefore, of my visit to China from 26 to 29 March was to further develop strong government-level relations between Ireland and China and build upon the successful visit to Ireland by Vice President Xi Jinping. In particular, I sought to further promote bilateral economic relations and trade with a view to securing greater penetration of Irish exports and investment in China in a range of key areas, including technology, education services, agri-food and financial services, in addition to ensuring that China sees Ireland as an attractive location for investment. My programme also reflected the Government's efforts to promote Ireland as a location of choice for Chinese students and as a destination for Chinese tourists.

During my visit, I had a number of high-level political engagements, including with Premier Wen Jiabao, Vice President Xi Jinping and Mr. Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. I was also delighted to meet the Mayor of Shanghai. During these meetings, as in my discussions with Vice President Xi Jinping in Dublin in February, my central message was my desire to develop stronger relations with China at the highest political level, and to promote Ireland both as a source of world-class products and services and as a location for Chinese investment. I highlighted Ireland's potential as a gateway to the European market of over 500 million people and our many strengths such as our young, well-educated workforce and strong capacity for entrepreneurship and innovation.

I also stressed the potential for increased investment and economic co-operation in key sectors such as education, financial services, culture, tourism, life sciences, cleantech and agri-food. I stressed the quality of Ireland's agri-food produce and raised the issue of accessing the market for Irish beef. I agreed with the Chinese leaders that our respective administrations would work on accelerating a resolution of this matter. The culmination of my visit was the conclusion of a strategic partnership agreement that sets out a framework to ensure mutually beneficial co-operation between Ireland and China in a number of important trade and investment areas. I raised the issue of human rights with Vice President Xi Jinping both during our meeting in Dublin and again in our follow-up meeting in China. I also discussed human rights during my meetings with Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman Wu. I expressed the hope that as China develops, it will be possible for further progress to be made in ensuring that individual rights are enjoyed by all China's citizens, and also emphasised the need for continued dialogue including through EU human rights dialogue.

The Chinese leaders acknowledged that there is room for improvement in the area of human rights in China, while referencing recent reforms that have been made including measures to lift people in China out of poverty. During my visit to Beijing, I delivered a keynote speech at Tsinghua University as part of the Tsinghua Global Vision Lecture Series and was honoured to meet the president of the university. On the trade and investment front, I had a very intensive programme while in Shanghai and Beijing reflecting my objectives to promote bilateral economic and trade relations. I attended business events in both cities organised by Enterprise Ireland and attended by more than 900 Irish company representatives and their Chinese customers and partners.

I witnessed the signing of more than €35 million worth of contracts and commitments in Shanghai and Beijing during these events. In addition, a number of significant memoranda of understanding were signed both during Vice President Xi Jinping's visit to Dublin and again during my visit to China.

Our intensified engagement with China, including high-level visits, with the strategic partnership agreement and the sectoral memoranda of understanding, have put Ireland-China relations on a new level. The strategic agreement provides a clear and important framework for closer engagement and co-operation in all of the key areas of interest to Ireland. It is a new and highly significant development in Ireland-China relations. I am determined to build on the momentum that has been established.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, has just returned from a very successful visit to China, during which further important trade and business contracts were concluded. Further ministerial visits are encouraged for the coming months and we will continue to ensure that we maximise the opportunities for greater trade and investment in the months and years ahead.

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