Strengthening economic and trade cooperation and exchanges, promoting the development of EU China relations, Europe pays attention to the Irish Prime Minister's visit to China for 'exploration'
As the first European leader to visit China this year, Martin's visit has attracted widespread attention from the outside world. Trade, EU: Ireland takes the lead in exploring Beijing, "reported the French newspaper" Forum "on the 4th, marking the first visit of an Irish government leader to China in 14 years. This visit will last until Thursday, aiming to consolidate bilateral economic and trade relations and strengthen commercial relations and dialogue between China and Europe as Dublin takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union in July.
All countries should respect the development path independently chosen by the people of other countries, abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and major powers should take the lead. Both China and Ireland support multilateralism, advocate international fairness and justice, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs, jointly uphold the authority of the United Nations, and promote the development of the global governance system towards a more just and reasonable direction. Both China and Europe should focus on the long-term, adhere to the positioning of partnership, objectively and rationally view and handle differences, and insist on win-win cooperation. Ireland will assume the rotating presidency of the European Union in the second half of the year, hoping to play a constructive role in promoting the healthy and stable development of China Europe relations.
Martin said that Ireland and China have a deep and long-lasting friendship, with continuously strengthened economic and trade cooperation and increasingly close cultural exchanges between the two countries. Ireland firmly adheres to the One China policy, is committed to strengthening and developing the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries, and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in trade, investment, technology, biomedicine, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, education and other fields. It is very important to maintain stable development of EU China relations, and Ireland is willing to play a constructive role in promoting the healthy development of EU China relations.
According to Irish Radio and Television on the 5th, Martin subsequently visited the Forbidden City in Beijing. During his stay in Beijing, he will also meet with leaders of the Love China business community and others. The visit comes at a time when trade tensions between the European Union and China are intensifying. The EU has imposed higher tariffs on Chinese made electric vehicles, while China has also imposed new tariffs on EU dairy products sold in China. At the same time, global trade tensions have further escalated due to the United States imposing a series of tariffs on multiple trading partners.
On the 5th, Reuters reported that as the first Irish Prime Minister to visit Beijing in 14 years, Martin stated that Ireland recognizes China's "indispensable and important role" in international affairs and emphasizes China's role in promoting world peace. Martin also emphasized Ireland's position on open trade issues and said when talking about trade relations with China, 'We believe that working towards open trade is crucial because we recognize that the world is interdependent.'.
Associate Professor Liu Chunsheng from the School of International Economics and Trade at Central University of Finance and Economics stated in an interview with Global Times on the 5th that the joint support of China and Ireland for multilateralism and the rule-based international trade system is particularly important in the current context of rising protectionism. This cooperation model based on mutual respect and rules provides a good model for handling complex international relations.
The "European Conservatives" website states that this visit aims to strengthen trade ties, with China being Ireland's largest trading partner in Asia and its fifth largest trading partner globally. Martin revealed before his departure that he plans to discuss Ireland's export issues and also explore broader EU China relations as Ireland prepares to take over the EU presidency in July. The article mentioned that leaders from many Western European countries and Brussels had previously criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Orb á n for refusing to "decouple" Budapest's relations with China or Russia. Now, European countries are clearly seeking mutually beneficial cooperation with China.
According to the website of the European magazine Modern Diplomacy on the 5th, this contact highlights China's strategy of engaging with EU member states one by one amidst the tense relationship between China and the EU. As the trade, technology, and tariff disputes between China and Europe escalate, Beijing sees Ireland as a potential bridge to ease friction. For Ireland, this meeting comes at a time when China is imposing tariffs on EU dairy products, affecting its key export sectors, making it even more important to balance open trade and political stance within the EU.
The article states that during Martin's visit to Shanghai, the two sides are expected to continue consultations, with trade, technological cooperation, and multilateral issues being key topics. Despite the ongoing tariff tensions, Ireland may use its rotating presidency of the European Union to push for dialogue between Beijing and Brussels. Whether the further strengthening of China Ireland relations can translate into a broader improvement in China Europe relations will depend on how both sides handle the escalating economic and strategic differences.
Liu Chunsheng believes that Ireland's rotating presidency of the European Union provides a new communication bridge and dialogue window for China Europe relations. Ireland has always adhered to a pragmatic and open attitude towards China, understanding and supporting the development of constructive relations between Europe and China. During his tenure as the rotating presidency, it is expected to promote understanding and explore cooperation between China and Europe on issues such as climate change, digital governance, and economic and trade balance.