'With a population of that size, there has to be huge potential' Leitrim councillor talks Ireland/China trade

Leitrim councillor Paddy O'Rourke has said that he believes that Taoiseach Micheál Martin needs to use his four-day official visit to China to be build on the success of Ireland's growing trade with the country that has a population 1.41bn and has the second largest economy in the world.

Mr Martin met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing at the start of a four-day official visit to China in the capital's Great Hall this week where the Taoiseach referenced the strong trade relationship between Ireland and China and called for more open trade between the countries.

RTÉ reported that President Xi said there should be increased co-operation between the countries in areas such as AI and the digital economy and they discussed Ireland's bilateral relationship with China, including economic ties, as well as broader EU-China relations.

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Cllr O'Rourke said: "There was much made, a number of years back, about trying to break into the Chinese market with beef and pork and some success was enjoyed but with a population of that size, there has to be huge potential. I'm also reliably informed that the drinks industry has spent a lot of money marketing in China. Those are areas that I feel that the Taoiseach should be pushing hard. With all the changes that are coming down the track, we need to getting our products to those who can afford to buy them."

China is Ireland’s fifth largest trading partner, with total trade between the countries reaching €36 billion in 2023. The main drivers of trade from the Irish side are in the medical-equipment, pharmaceutical, computer-services and agri-food sectors.

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While in Beijing, the Taoiseach is also meeting Irish and Chinese business leaders, and representatives of 12 Irish colleges in the city.

Later in the week, he'll travel to Shanghai to meet the city’s mayor and business groups in sectors such as tourism and food and beverages.