James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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219. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts his Department is making to expand Ireland's trade relations with China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27446/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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China is Ireland’s largest trading partner in Asia by some margin- our trade in goods has trebled in both directions in the last five years. Ireland takes a holistic approach to trade with China, our economic relationship is not considered separately from our values and other priorities. We are interested in strengthening engagement with China where it is in our interests to do so.

China – as the largest Asian economy – has enormous market potential for Irish companies. Over the last 5 years, employment in Chinese companies in Ireland increased by 115%. There are currently 36 client operations with Chinese origin in IDA's portfolio. There were at least 214 Enterprise Ireland supported companies exporting from Ireland to China in 2023, these companies had exports of over €763 million-making China the seventh largest export market for Enterprise Ireland-supported companies.

The Government Trade Forum, established in February, has become an important strategic forum for considering the totality of Ireland’s trading relationships. Following the Trade Forum meeting last month, I tasked my officials with developing an Action Plan for Market Diversification with a view to developing a roadmap for a ‘whole of government’ approach to enhance Ireland’s trading relationships with new and emerging markets. The Asia Pacific region will be key to this initiative.

Through the work of Team Ireland – our diplomatic missions and State Agencies working together – the Government remains committed to pursuing deeper economic relations and to supporting Irish and Chinese companies. Discussions are underway to organise a China-Ireland Joint Economic Commission later this year, to take place in Dublin. I very much welcome the opportunity of this forum to discuss ways to further develop sustainable trade and investment relations between China and Ireland, based on transparency and fair market competition.