China, Ireland sign trade deals

China and Ireland on Tuesday signed a number of deals to promote cooperation in science, trade and investments, and elevated their bilateral relationship onto the level of mutual beneficial strategic partners.

Premier Wen Jiabao told visiting Irish counterpart Enda Kenny that in face of the changing international situation and grave challenges, the two sides should take the opportunity of establishing mutually beneficial strategic partnership to promote exchanges and cooperation in all areas.

After their talks, Wen and Kenny oversaw the signing of three agreements, including cooperation in science and research innovation, investments and trade.

Kenny arrived in China for a four-day trade mission on Sunday, one month after Vice-President Xi Jinping visited Dublin, where he vowed support for the eurozone.

Wen said China welcomes Ireland's new Asia strategy, in which China is its primary partner, and through unremitting efforts, Sino-Ireland trade cooperation will achieve new results.

Wen proposed increasing personnel exchanges between the two countries' enterprises, strengthening communication and practical cooperation in international trade in services, broadening cooperation in science and technology, and extending exchanges and cooperation in areas including agriculture, culture, education, environmental protection, tourism and public health.

He said that China attaches great importance to the European Union-China gateway project proposed by the Irish side, and that he hopes the EU could start negotiations on an investment agreement with China as soon as possible, to provide a legal guarantee for investment between China and the EU.

China also welcomes Ireland to participate in the first China (Beijing) International Fair for Trade in Services, said Wen. The fair is to be held from May 28 to June 1.

Wen also praised Ireland's active role in promoting China's relationship with the EU.

Kenny said Ireland, at the current stage, is taking a series of measures in financial reform to promote economic growth, and cooperation between China and Ireland faces new opportunities.

He reiterated that Ireland supports the EU's efforts to recognize China's complete market economy status and lift the arms embargo to China.

Ireland is willing to become a gateway for the EU to expand cooperation with China, said Kenny.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979, China has become Ireland's biggest trading partner in Asia.

The trade volume between China and Ireland hit $5.87 billion in 2011, an 8.6 percent increase over the previous year.

Wang Zhanpeng, director of the Irish Studies Center at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, said Ireland is turning to cooperation with China from previous focuses, such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

"China actually could play a quite positive role in helping Ireland out of the international financial and European debt crises," he said, adding that this long-delayed visit is to further consolidate bilateral ties in all fields.

"Bilateral trade and investment volume is comparatively small, but has been growing swiftly in recent years," he said. "Ireland has realized the importance of China's growing international status and economy."

"Cooperation in the areas of Irish medicines, technology and agriculture still has a great deal of room in which to develop in the future," he added.

"We have greatly appreciated the positive signals from China in support of Europe's efforts to resolve the sovereign debt crisis" that has also seen Greece and Portugal receive bailout funds, AFP quoted Kenny as saying.

"There is no doubt that this has helped to stabilize financial markets and in the process made it much easier for us in Ireland to address our own problems," he added.

Contact the writers at chengguangjin@chinadaily.com.cn and lilianxing@chinadaily.com.cn.