BEIJING, Jan 5 (Reuters) – China is ready to strengthen strategic communication with Ireland and expand practical cooperation, while aiming to achieve mutually beneficial results, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on Monday.
Xi did not elaborate on what cooperation China was interested to further in his opening remarks at their meeting held at the Great Hall of the People, but he emphasised mutual respect and achieving win-win outcomes as “valuable experiences for the long-term, stable development of China-Ireland ties”.
Martin, the first Irish Taoiseach to visit Beijing in 14 years, said that Ireland recognises China’s “indispensable role” in the world, underlining China’s peacekeeping efforts, and stressed Ireland’s stance on open trade.
(Reporting by Liz Lee; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
