China-Ireland Economic Cooperation Talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin to discuss strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and Republic of Ireland, and to boost China-European Union relations. The visit, the first by an Irish Taoiseach in 14 years, comes amidst trade tensions, including China's recent tariffs on EU dairy products and the EU's tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Both leaders emphasized mutual respect, win-win outcomes, and multilateralism. China expressed interest in cooperating with Republic of Ireland in fields such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, pharmaceuticals, and tourism. Republic of Ireland, a significant dairy exporter, advocated for open trade and is set to assume the rotating presidency of the EU Council later this year.