Tánaiste to host Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris will welcome Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on a visit to Ireland on Monday 17 February. The visit is taking place at the request of the Chinese Government.

During his time in Ireland, Foreign Minister Wang will have a bilateral meeting with the Tánaiste to discuss Ireland’s bilateral relationship with China and broader EU-China relations, as well as exchanging views on foreign policy issues and global challenges.

Speaking ahead of the visit, the Tánaiste said: “I look forward to welcoming Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Dublin and to engaging with him on a range of bilateral and global issues. We will discuss the government’s priorities for our relationship with China and Ireland’s policy objectives, both in areas where we agree and have shared interests and in areas where our perspectives differ. Ireland and the EU more broadly, have a comprehensive economic relationship with China, one that we seek to maintain, on the basis of a balanced, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial relationship.

“We also have many global issues to discuss including climate change, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has an important contribution to uphold the central role of the UN system.

“I look forward to further examining these ties with Foreign Minister Wang Yi."

China is Ireland’s largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region. Total bilateral trade in 2023 amounted to €36 billion. Trade in goods with China reached almost €9 billion in exports and €10.8 billion in imports in 2023.

Irish goods exports to China have increased by 529% in the decade since 2013.

Exports to China are driven by medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and computer services as well as agri-food and increasingly, financial services.

Travel links to China from Ireland also continue to expand. 2024 saw the relaunch of a year-round direct Dublin-Beijing air route, which operates twice a week. Additionally Irish passport holders can now avail of visa free entry to China for 30 days, following announcement in late 2024.