Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have to go into the other House to take defence questions in about 20 minutes. I am pleased to join with those who contributed to the debate on the motion put forward by Senator Byrne, which raises a number of important issues, many of which are also of considerable interest to the Government.

I agree that it is timely to have this discussion now, following the visit to Ireland last week of Premier Li. Given the breadth of the motion before us, I want to highlight not just the Government’s policy approach to China but also its actions, particularly with regard to human rights, Taiwan and economic security, all of which are referenced in the motion.

In October last year, I launched Ireland’s updated Asia Pacific strategy. It reaffirms our commitment to deepen engagement in this dynamic region and sets out the parameters for how we want to grow our connections and strengthen our partnerships. We see the Ireland-China relationship as situated within the broader network of our relationships across the region. The areas of focus in that relationship reflect our areas of focus more broadly across the region and globally. This year will mark 45 years of Ireland-China diplomatic relations. As Senators will know, Ireland’s relationship with China is broad and has expanded and evolved over the years. Alongside increased economic exchange, education, tourism and cultural exchanges are bringing our people closer together.

Last week, at the request of the Chinese authorities, the Taoiseach welcomed Chinese Premier, Li Qiang to Dublin for a short visit. This was the first visit of a Chinese Premier since Li Keqiang in 2015. The visit of Premier Li was a welcome opportunity for an in-depth and constructive discussion. It is always very welcome to see in-person engagements resuming. Post Covid, we are witnessing that now.

I was one of four Government Ministers to travel to China in 2023. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, visited to mark St Patrick’s Day, the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, led an agrifood trade mission in April and the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, undertook a successful follow up-visit to China in May. In November, I undertook a three-day visit to Beijing and Shanghai for political meetings and engagements with the Irish business community and diaspora. There were also a number of high level Chinese visitors to Ireland during 2023.

Such person-to-person contacts have real value. They provide a basis for engagement with China on subjects on which we agree and on those where our perspectives differ. They offer opportunities for open and honest communication on things that matter to us and to the Irish people.

There is no doubt that our relationship with China is complex. While we share strong links in a number of areas, differences in our relationship remain. In May last year, I set out the Government’s policy on China in a speech at the Royal Irish Academy. The speech reflected the strengths and opportunities in the bilateral relationship and Ireland’s desire to strengthen engagement where it is in our interests to do so. It made clear the centrality of the multilateral order, with the UN Charter at its heart, to our approach to our relationship with China. I would ask Senator Mullen to read the speech because everything we do, globally in all of our relationships and in particular in our relationship with China, is shaped through the multilateral prism. It emphasised that partnership with China on critical global challenges, like climate change, the sustainable development goals and global health, is vital. There is no getting away from that; China plays a vital part in all three areas.

It is also important that we are able to have an open discussion on key regional and global issues, such as Russia’s war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East. The speech also acknowledged areas in which the views and priorities of China and Ireland diverge, including in regard to human rights. It underlined that Ireland must be clear-eyed about China’s strategic objectives and how these may impact us. During my visit to Beijing last year, I used the opportunity to embed Ireland’s policy approach to China within the framework of constructive dialogue.

In my meetings with Vice President Han Zheng and the foreign minister, Wang Yi, I was open and frank on Ireland’s priorities for the relationship and emphasised the values which underpin our engagement. These messages were reinforced by the Taoiseach during his engagement with Premier Li last week.

Ireland has a proud history of supporting the protection of human rights around the world, including in China. I wish to assure Senator Byrne that is not an afterthought. It has been a consistent thread in Irish foreign policy for quite some time, to be fair to the Department of Foreign Affairs and others. We are committed to the universality, indivisibility and interrelatedness of all human rights and to accountability for human rights violations and abuses. This approach is anchored in our firm commitment to international law and agreed multilateral frameworks and bodies.

Ireland has been very clear that human rights need to remain on the agenda with China at bilateral and European Union level. The Government has consistently raised our concerns on specific issues directly with our counterparts in China. To those commenting, including Senator Mullen, I would say that it is not a case of a nod and a wink to trade. We have serious discussions on human rights. There are cynics who create the perception that we just mention these things and move on quickly. That is not the way it works. China does not want it to work that way either, by the way.