Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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9. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the recent visit of the Chinese Premier to Ireland; and if human rights concerns were raised with the Premier during his visit. [2941/24]

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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Last week the Taoiseach and the Chinese Premier met. There was the result of a fantastic decision on behalf of Irish farmers that access for Irish beef was reestablished into the Chinese market. However, there are major issues with China. We have millions of people in the Xinjiang province who are being treated barbarically by the Chinese regime. We have democracy within Hong Kong being completely flattened with political activists, journalists and anybody standing up for democracy being jailed en masse. What is the Government doing in terms of its discussions with the Chinese Premier to make sure human rights are front and centre of our objectives?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Premier Li Qiang visited Ireland on 16 and 17 January, at the request of the Chinese authorities. The premier paid a courtesy call on President Higgins before being welcomed by the Taoiseach at Farmleigh House for a bilateral meeting and a lunch, which was also attended by a number of Ministers, including myself.

Meetings covered a range of topics including bilateral relations, human rights, European Union-China relations, multilateral engagement and regional and international issues. Premier Li expressed interest in growing relations, including in trade, green low-carbon development and sustainable agriculture. He announced the resumption of beef exports to China and a 15 day visa waiver to Irish passport holders travelling to China.

The Taoiseach communicated Ireland’s priorities for our relationship with China and recalled the values which underpin our engagement, including the global multilateral system. He welcomed the recent European Union-China Summit and set out the European Union, and Ireland's, desire for a balanced, reciprocal trade relationship with China and a level playing field for Irish and EU businesses. The Taoiseach made clear that derisking is not decoupling.

The Taoiseach and President Higgins set out Ireland's long-held concerns around human rights. The Taoiseach raised concerns about the treatment of minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang, the national security law in Hong Kong and the case of Jimmy Lai. The Taoiseach also raised Russia's war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East. A discussion on climate took place with agreement on the need to work in partnership to face this global challenge.

Ireland will continue to raise human rights concerns in our bilateral engagement with China as well as at multilateral forums. Earlier this week, Ireland delivered a statement at the Universal Periodic Review of China at the UN Human Rights Council, which focused on repression of civil society and freedom of expression, including in Hong Kong, the treatment of ethnic groups in Tibet and Xinjiang, and LGBTQI+ rights.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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It is difficult to overstate the human rights crisis in China. It is estimated that more than 1 million Uyghurs have been put into re-education camps in China since 2014. Subjects there suffer torture, women are forcibly sterilised, women have forced birth control and forced abortions, and products are being made in slave situations, with many such products finding their way into western society.

Mr. Pat Leahy reported in The Irish Timeslast week that the Irish Government’s approach to these issues in terms of raising human rights was very weak. He stated that one person he spoke to in the diplomatic corps said off the record that they "are mentioned briefly, essentially to allow us to say we have raised them. The Chinese know to expect it and move on quickly." Another diplomat said there was a "bit of a dance" and that, if the Irish mention human rights, the Chinese say they are in favour of them and everyone then gets down to business. Is that the truth? Is it the case that, in reality, we have a veneer of a discussion on the issue of human rights or is it a core objective of the Irish Government to ensure people in China are protected?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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No, that is not the truth. I was in China in November. I met Mr. Wang Yi. We had an extended conversation on Xinjiang. Ireland is very concerned about the situation in Xinjiang and about reports of the treatment of ethnic and religious groups in the region. We welcomed the publication in 2022 of the assessment by the then High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding human rights concerns in Xinjiang and called on China to implement its recommendations and the subsequent special procedure’s recommendations. I raised that specific report with Mr. Wang Yi, both in Munich last year and in November, and we had a lengthy discussion on the issue. It was not a “mention” or a “reference” but a lengthy discussion. China robustly refutes the assertions, so it has no issue with discussing them. The idea we just mention them as if we are afraid to do so is not the case. China has its assertive position on all of these issues and we disagree. We were endeavouring to push home Ms Michelle Bachelet’s report. China dismissed that.

What the Deputy described is not in any shape or form a fair, accurate or true depiction of what transpires. Only this week, we again intervened on the Universal Periodic Review.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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I understand that another diplomat, when he heard a report that the issue of human rights was mentioned, wondered how he had missed it because he had not noticed it at the meetings. The two pieces of evidence we have heard today are in contradiction.

The US has moved to ban imports from Xinjiang and to stop slave labour products made by Uyghurs from being sold in the US. The EU proposed to do the same but has still not done so. Whatever about the argument about how strong or weak the Government’s presentation on human rights in those meetings is, what material step has it taken to ensure we do not accept products from forced Uyghur labour into this country? Why is the EU on the back foot? Is it the case that commercial interests are more important on balance than human rights in China?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Contrary to what the Deputy says, Europe has taken a strong position on this. It has also reframed its relationship with China in terms of the derisking approach, ensuring economic resilience at home within Europe and ensuring there are no vulnerable dependencies. In a speech to the Royal Irish Academy last year, I outlined Ireland’s position on the derisking situation and that we had to be clear-eyed in our relationship with China.

There is a strong economic relationship between Europe and China. The world is now interdependent. Globalisation has been a phenomenon for more than two decades. It may modify, but it is not going to change any time soon. The idea of just dismissing economics and trade relationships is fanciful. They are a reality.

We must do everything we possibly can to avoid importation from anywhere in the world any goods and services that have child labour underpinning their manufacture. One of the most effective approaches the EU is seeking to take is to determine how one can go into these areas and develop them effectively. Ms Bachelet did a report and we have been strongly supportive of it. In the Universal Periodic Review of China, we highlighted people’s treatment. We went public on that. It is on the record.