REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT A RECEPTION FOR THE IRISH COMMUNITY BEIJING
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT A RECEPTION FOR THE IRISH COMMUNITY BEIJING, TUESDAY, 15TH JUNE, 2010
Dajia Wan Shang Hao
Good evening everybody
It is a great pleasure to be here again in Beijing. Martin and I have warm memories of our last visit and I am sure we will have many more to take home with us by the end of this week. I am especially happy to meet you all here this evening – our Chinese, Irish and international friends. My thanks to Ambassador Declan Kelleher and all his team at the Embassy for their warm welcome, for hosting this reception and for all the work invested in this visit.
Things have changed so quickly and encouragingly since I was last here. It is heartening to see the growing success and profile of the Irish in China and the firm friendships which have been developed with our Chinese hosts. And it’s equally encouraging to learn of the vibrant Irish cultural scene in this great city – comhghairdeas, congratulations to everyone involved who put so much effort into ensuring that the recent Irish cultural festival and parades were a huge success.
As well as the members of our global Irish family, we are also very fortunate to have good friends of Ireland in China and to those of you here this evening I say a very warm céad míle fáilte, one hundred thousand welcomes.
The relationship between Ireland and China is widening and deepening in so many areas – trade, investment, education, food, tourism and culture have all flourished since we first established diplomatic relations between our two countries three decades ago and they have intensified greatly in the past decade. The next thirty years will be fascinating and with many thousands of young Chinese studying in Ireland and many more Irish working and doing business here we have a growing complement of unofficial ambassadors for Ireland here in China. The Confucius Institutes in Dublin and Cork, and the large number of Chinese courses offered in other universities and institutes in Ireland, are opening up China to Ireland much more profoundly than ever before. Ireland’s third level education system is among the best in the world and has much to offer its growing number of Chinese partners particularly in areas such as electronics, food production and business studies which are of key interest to China and in which Ireland has particular expertise. I saw earlier today how important these links are at Renmin University, which produces so many of China’s very best lawyers.
When I was last here Riverdance arrived and immediately set Chinese feet tapping and hands clapping. Chinese openness to Irish music and culture was remarkable and I am sure it guarantees a great welcome for the members of the Blackwater group who are entertaining us this evening just as I am sure the Chinese dancers who are with us are appreciated by all of us – whether Irish or Chinese.
Gathering together, being community, family and friends to one another is an essential characteristic of the Irish wherever they are in the world and here the work of gathering and organising the Irish is undertaken brilliantly by Irish Network China. The commitment of the network members is showcased in a lot of ways but it says a lot about their determination that this year the Network and its Ball Committee won the title of the best Ball in Beijing. Congratulations on such a wonderful achievement. I know we are a long way from Croke Park but the GAA Club in Beijing is not far away at all and its work makes Gaelic games and culture available to the Irish here, to the Chinese and to anyone who wants to join in. I know that the Club has had some notable successes in the All China Games in recent years and I wish you well at the Asian Gaelic Games later this year in Hong Kong.
Far from home but not far from the hearth and the welcome that is part of our Irish identity – that is what you brought with you in your hearts and hands. It is the gift of friendship that you put at the service of Ireland in China and I hope it will be rewarded with many years of friendship between Ireland and China in the decades ahead.
In conclusion I would like to thank you all for being with us this evening and wish you all every success.
Gurb fada buan sibh ‘s go raibh maith agaibh go léir.
Xie Xie
Thank you