Uachtarán na hÉireann, President Michael D. Higgins received H.E. Mr Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, on a courtesy call at Áras an Uachtaráin. Premier Li relayed warm greetings to the President from President Xi Jinping, which were reciprocated by the President.
At their meeting, President Higgins recalled his State Visit to China in December 2014 and his discussions with President Xi Jinping both during that State Visit and when President Xi visited Ireland as China’s Vice-President in 2012.
In their discussions, the President resumed conversations which he had with President Xi in 2014 with regard to the interacting crises of climate change, global poverty, food security, global conflict, and recasting development to take account of debt.
President Higgins further took up some of the points on the five macro-economic principles which Premier Li advanced in his recent special address in Davos. There was agreement between the President and the Premier on the need for science and technology to be shared where they have the greatest effect without borders and there was common agreement that the test for this should be where it can have the greatest benefit for humanity.
The President referred to the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and China, and in that context noted the value of enabling straightforward dialogue on issues between countries with friendly relations to the benefit of all in a fundamental and long-term sense.
In this regard, the President referenced the forthcoming meetings of the Universal Periodic Review taking place in Geneva, the points that are likely to arise during that process, and gave the background to the Irish position on those matters.