Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Byrne for raising this important matter. This agenda item is timely following discussions at the Foreign Affairs Council and European Council in October on the EU's strategic engagement with China. Those discussions, attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Simon Coveney, and the Taoiseach, took place against the backdrop of the re-election of President Xi to a third term as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

Ireland, together with other member states, reaffirmed our support for established EU policies on China. This includes seeking co-operation and partnership with China, where it is possible, in areas such as climate change, global health and regional security issues, including the threat of nuclear activity posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. This Government believes it remains important that we engage with China on these issues.

Ireland has welcomed the ongoing focus in the EU on economic resilience and security. Collectively, the EU has agreed to continue a broad range of measures to reduce our vulnerabilities in all aspects, from raw materials supply to countering coercive behaviour and protecting against hybrid threats. The Minister for Foreign Affairs underlined that this approach must go side by side with promoting our values and protecting the international rules-based order.

Foreign affairs ministers also agreed that Ukraine will continue to be a priority in our interactions with China. Ireland and the EU have a clear focus on China's responsibilities in upholding the rules-based multilateral order. Ireland used our recent high-level bilateral contact to impress this message on China.

Senior officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs met their counterparts twice in recent months, and held constructive discussions where our views on Ukraine, reducing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, in particular, were highlighted. Human rights is a cornerstone of Irish foreign policy. Ireland welcomed publication in August of the assessment on human rights concerns in Xinjiang by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The report found that several human rights abuses in Xinjiang, including the use of forced labour, may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity. This is a serious and significant finding by a leading UN body.

Senior officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs raised the findings of this report with Chinese counterparts on 1 and 22 September. On those occasions, they outlined Ireland's long-held position on the matter, emphasised that the report contains a number of very serious findings and urged China to give serious consideration to the assessment and the recommendations proposed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

As concrete follow-up, Ireland co-sponsored a resolution in October calling for a debate on the situation at the Human Rights Council. There was not a majority in favour of this resolution and we regret we will not have the opportunity to discuss the matter at the next session of the Human Rights Council in March. The council must fulfil its role in promoting respect for human rights for all, without distinction of any kind. Ireland will continue to raise our concerns with the Chinese authorities in our bilateral contacts, through our EU engagement and at the United Nations, through national and joint statements.