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Speech at a Reception for the Irish Community of Beijing

Embassy of Ireland, Beijing, 10th December 2014

Ambassador and Mrs Kavanagh,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Tá ríméad ar Sabina agus orm féin a bheith anseo libh tráthnóna san áras seo inar chónaí é  d’Ambasáid na hÉireann i nDaon-Phoblacht na Síne ó mhíle naoi gcéad ochtó i leith.

Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Ambasadóir, Paul Kavanagh, agus lena bhean chéile Rosemary, as muintearas na fáilte atá curtha romhainn acu, agus ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil libhse uilig as bhur fáilte a bhí chomh muinteartha céanna.

[Sabina and I are delighted to be with you this evening in this building which has been home to Ireland’s Embassy in the People’s Republic of China since 1980.

I would like to thank our Ambassador Paul Kavanagh and his wife Rosemary, for the warmth of the welcome that they have extended to us, and all of you for your equally generous welcome.]

A chairde na hÉireann agus na Síne, 

For almost all of the thirty-five years since Ireland and China established diplomatic relations, this Embassy has served as the principal platform from which Ireland’s links with China have been continually projected and developed – in the political, economic and commercial as well as cultural domains.

Indeed, it is difficult to believe that when this Embassy was founded the Irish community in mainland China numbered just two people. Thirty five years later that Irish community is a large and thriving one and includes the many Irish community, sporting, and social organisations which have been established here in recent years.

Here in Beijing I am reminded, once again, of why Ireland is so fortunate in having a diaspora that represents us so well in countries across the globe. Our Irish community in China have been instrumental in the construction of a warm, close, collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship between our two countries; you, along with your Chinese partners and your Irish colleagues at home have been key to a sixteen hundred fold increase in two-way trade between China and Ireland since 1979. You are playing a vital role in the more than one hundred and fifty partnerships between Irish and Chinese higher institutes of education, and in the sixty bilateral research and development partnerships that exist between our nations.

Who would have thought all those years ago that there would be a Feis Ceoil in Shanghai or that Dalian Wolfhounds, Shenzhen Celts and Suzhou Eire Og would be vying with Beijing GAA for glory in the All-China Games? The profile and awareness which our small country has in the most populous country on earth is due in large parts to your presence here and your contribution to China, and I thank you for that.

Although China and Ireland are separated by geography, in this modern era we enjoy a close connection, united by a number of common factors which perhaps enable our two nations to have a somewhat different kind of conversation to that which occurs typically between China and many other western countries.

Ireland and China have both emerged very rapidly in recent decades from economic isolation. The challenges which confront a society in the course of such rapid transformation result in a particular national experience and both our peoples are having to confront and adapt to profound technological and societal changes. We have much to offer to, and to learn from, each other – and we both have much to be proud of in what we have achieved.

Ireland is cooperating with China through the provision of food of the highest quality, produced in a clean, green and safe setting. In fact we are optimistic that, within a decade, China could become Ireland’s leading market in the world for food and drinks.

Increasing collaboration in the academic and research fields has resulted in our country providing excellent higher education for Chinese students, as well as high quality facilities for Chinese researchers who wish to develop academically, professionally and personally in our English-language system.

Ireland, as the sole English-language country within both the European Union and the Euro zone single currency area, is the perfect partner for Chinese corporations “Going Global in Europe”, while the new China-Ireland Technology Growth Fund is both bringing capital and market access to growing Irish companies, and providing technology and collaboration to Chinese counterparts.

Above all, Irish and Chinese people share a similar spirit of fortitude and resilience in the face of adversity, a sense of the importance of family, and an ability to forge bonds of friendship with strangers and of trust with business partners. As I witnessed firsthand on Monday night, we share, too, a love of literature, music and dance – and an ability to enjoy ourselves.

I am confident that the increasing number of Chinese visitors to Ireland, where we hope they enjoy our culture and the welcoming spirit of our people, will further develop the close relationship and understanding that is building between our two nations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have been humbled by the warm welcome extended to me and Sabina by the Chinese leadership and by the Chinese people this week.

Many of you were present with us on Monday evening in the Forbidden City Concert Hall for a Sino-Irish gala concert of poetry, music and dance. It was inspiring to witness the natural synergies between our music and dance traditions and the enthusiastic reaction of the audience. A similarly warm reception was given to the exhibition of Irish design “Weathering” which I was delighted to open this week at the 798 Arts Centre here in Beijing.

Yesterday I received a valuable opportunity to reflect on the dynamic trade and investment relationship between Ireland and China and to meet many of those who play a significant role at the heart of the commercial relationship between our two countries. I also had the occasion to acknowledge the great spirit of cooperation between our two nations in the field of science and technology and to see the collaboration and work of many young and talented researchers from both our nations.

At all events, I was greatly uplifted by the generous welcome I received. Let me also thank the Ambassador and Rosemary for their kind hospitality this evening and for the great support of the hard working staff here at the Embassy.

May I acknowledge with appreciation the powerful work that is undertaken here in China year-in, year-out, by our Embassy and Consulates, our State Agencies, and Ireland’s Visa Office in Beijing.

Above all I want once again to thank and commend you, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Irish community in Beijing and in China, for all you do to build and enhance warm relations between our two nations.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh – Xie Xie dajia.