Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin’s Visit to China Expected to Further Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

Beijing, January 4 — At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheál Martin will pay an official visit to China from January 4 to 8, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday.

According to analysts, the visit is expected to play an important role in strengthening mutual trust between China and Ireland and expanding pragmatic cooperation. As part of China–European Union (EU) exchanges, it is also expected to make a positive contribution to stabilizing and balancing China–EU relations.

This will be the first visit to China by an Irish prime minister since 2012. During the visit, Prime Minister Martin is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji for in-depth discussions on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson noted that in recent years, the China–Ireland strategic partnership has continued to strengthen, with both sides pursuing shared development through open cooperation based on mutual respect and equality.

Through the upcoming visit, China aims to enhance political mutual trust with Ireland, expand cooperation in areas of mutual benefit, and inject new momentum into the steady advancement of China–EU relations in the new era, the spokesperson said.

High-level exchanges between China and Ireland have remained steady in recent years. In January 2024, Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Ireland. In February 2025, during a meeting in Dublin, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed China’s readiness to further expand, deepen, and solidify mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

According to Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, the visit represents a continuation of the stable and sustained development of China–Ireland relations. Cooperation is expected to deepen further in areas such as digital technology, green energy, and biomedicine.

Wang Hanyi, a research fellow at Shanghai International Studies University, said the visit will further strengthen political mutual trust and lay a new foundation for bilateral cooperation following the launch of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. She noted that Ireland is a major supplier of beef and dairy products to China and has strengths in life sciences, information technology, and the agri-food sector. Combined with China’s vast market and comprehensive industrial chain, this complementarity is expected to create new opportunities for bilateral trade and investment.

In addition to Beijing, Prime Minister Martin is also scheduled to visit Shanghai. Analysts say the Shanghai visit highlights the emphasis on local-level cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, with financial services, education, scientific research, and cultural tourism likely to be key focuses.

Meanwhile, China has extended its unilateral visa-free policy for citizens of more than 40 countries, including Ireland, through December 2026. Under the policy, holders of ordinary passports may enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for purposes including business, tourism, family visits, exchanges, and transit.

Against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of China–EU diplomatic relations, analysts say the visit is part of a continuing series of high-level dialogues and exchanges. Ireland is expected to prioritize pragmatic economic and people-to-people cooperation and potentially play a bridging role between China and the EU.