The Irish Taoiseach’s China visit is expected to yield pragmatic outcomes
2026-01-05 11:16:16 source：Global Times
January 4, 2026
From Sunday to Thursday, Taoiseach of Ireland Micheál Martin is conducting an official visit to China, marking the first visit by a Taoiseach of Ireland in 14 years. According to the itinerary released by the Irish side, Martin will meet with Chinese leaders in Beijing before proceeding to Shanghai for business forums.
Brussels Morning reported that "Martin seeks to place Ireland as a formative EU ground to Beijing." This characterization accurately captures the significance of the visit and offers an essential perspective for external observers to understand China's approach to Europe. This visit comes at a complex moment in China-EU relations and carries significant demonstrative value and strategic importance.
During the visit, both sides will focus on practical economic cooperation. Based on available information, pharmaceuticals, technology, agri-food and green energy constitute the priority areas for collaboration.
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