China wants to import more high-quality food from Ireland and to invest in wind energy off the Irish coast, the Taoiseach said in Shanghai on Wednesday.
Micheál Martin was speaking in Shanghai on the third day of his visit to China, a day after he met Chinese premier Li Qiang.
“Premier Li’s view in terms of the Irish-China trading relationship was that they clearly had identified the key areas where they feel there’s complementarity and synergies can be developed between Ireland and China in certain trading areas,” he said.
The Taoiseach met Mr Li, the most senior figure in the Communist Party after Xi Jinping, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday. The meeting was followed by a banquet during which an army band played a mixture of Chinese and Irish melodies, including The Last Rose of Summer and On the Banks of My Own Lovely Lee.
Throughout Mr Martin’s visit, his Chinese hosts have argued for a new framework to negotiate China’s trade relationship with the European Union. But Mr Li, who is responsible for China’s economic policy, did not identify any specific measures Beijing might take to address European concerns about Chinese manufacturing overcapacity.
[ Mercosur trade deal: Minister for Agriculture holds ‘negative’ views on pactOpens in new window ]
“What was clear from Premier Li is that he doesn’t want to see increased protectionism, and he wants a more open trading system. And they will cite decisions taken by Europe as restricting their products and their companies, as he did over dinner last evening. And we will cite, obviously, examples of where China would have restricted access for European companies and products,” Mr Martin said.
He added that the Government was making progress on restoring access for Irish beef to the Chinese market, although he did not elaborate on any breakthrough in negotiations. He declined to say how the Government planned to vote on Friday on a trade deal between the EU and Mercusor, a group of South American countries.
“We’re working with like-minded countries, including Italy, including France, in respect of Mercosur and significant safeguards have been negotiated over the past 12 months. Those discussions and developments still awaited in respect of additional safeguards in respect of those issues, and the announcement yesterday in respect to an improvement in terms of the Common Agricultural Policy is also welcome,” he said.
The Taoiseach brushed aside concerns that junior ministers could resign if Ireland votes in favour of the Mercosur deal, saying they had to work collectively in government.
“We have to think of Ireland into the future, and we have to look at what’s the best interest of Irish farmers, because we’ve other negotiations to be had,” he said.
On Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland, the Taoiseach said the EU was solidly behind Greenland and its place inside Denmark. He pointed out that the US already has military bases on the island, which is self-governing in most areas.
“I know that the Danish prime minister has been engaged with the White House very clearly and that any issues that need to be resolved or need to be discussed are open for discussion, in terms of the military bases there. But in terms of the sovereignty, the territorial integrity, that’s a matter for the Kingdom of Denmark and the population in Greenland themselves,” he said.