Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 6: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his planned visit to China; the purpose of same; and the issues he intends to raise with his Chinese counterparts. [29814/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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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.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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While we welcome any trade development for this country in the current circumstances, the Tánaiste is well aware of the brutal human rights record of the Chinese regime, its completely undemocratic character, its persecution of Falun Gong and the people of Tibet and its regular execution of political dissidents. Did the Tánaiste raise these issues with the Chinese authorities during his visit? Does the Tánaiste think it is right that the western world seems to be willing to turn a blind eye and pay lip-service to human rights issues in China because there is so much trade? We do not really put pressure on them to democratise and improve their human rights record.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Human rights issues in China, including individual cases, are regularly discussed on a bilateral basis with the Chinese Government, both in Beijing and in Dublin. At such meetings the Government continues to stress the importance attached by Ireland to human rights, and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law, and to urge the Chinese authorities to ratify the international covenant on civil and political rights. In my meetings with Chinese leaders who visited Dublin recently, I raised human rights issues in a frank, friendly and respectful manner, which reflects the maturity of our relationship.