Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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309. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 435 of 18 May 2021, the dates and the particulars of each occasion on which he has summoned the Chinese Ambassador to meet with him from 14 June 2017 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27923/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As I stated in Parliamentary Question No. 435 of 18 May 2021, under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 there are a suite of measures provided for the conduct of relations between States.

In addition to ongoing regular diplomatic engagements at senior official level between my Department and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China to Ireland, I have, since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs in June 2017, had two standalone meetings with the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Ireland; on 1 February 2018 and 24 June 2020. On each of these occasions, a wide range of issues were discussed, covering bilateral political, economic and cultural ties, the relationship between the EU and China, and cooperation between Ireland and China at the United Nations.

I can assure the Deputy that I, along with officials in my Department, maintain regular close contact with the Chinese Ambassador and Embassy officials, and that we raise any concerns we have where necessary.