China's trade and investment promotion delegation visited Ireland for trade and economic talks, as well as investment promotion activities on December 3. The delegation was composed of 170 representatives from 108 enterprises, covering such industries as IT, financing, light industry, logistics, and chemical industries, which is the biggest business delegation involving the most extensive industries in recent years.

During the visit, a total of more than 300 business representatives from the two countries attended the China-Ireland Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum, with "Enhancing Mutual Understanding and Promoting Cooperation and Win-win" as the theme, and held business matchmakings. Qiu Hong, Assistant Minister of Commerce of China, and Kelleher, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment of Ireland, delivered a speech at the forum, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland Liu Biwei also addressed.

Qiu Hong said in her speech that China and Ireland have established diplomatic relations for 30 years, and despite the great distance between the two countries, trade and economic cooperation become even closer, with bilateral trade in 2008 reached US $7.07 billion, China has become Ireland's largest trading partner in Asia. And although affected by the financial crisis, Ireland's export to China was up by 14.3% in the first three quarters of this year. The governments and enterprises of the two sides shall continue to make efforts to maintain a long-term good relationship for bilateral cooperation.

On China and Ireland joining efforts to tackle the financial crisis and deepen trade and economic cooperation, Qiu Hong put forward three proposals: First, stick to opening up and cooperation to jointly tackle the financial crisis. The Chinese government proposes free and open trade and investment, and opposes all forms of protectionism. And in response to the crisis, the Chinese government implemented the policy of expanding domestic demand, and provided a broad market for high-quality products around the world. China encourages Ireland to expand exports of such competitive products as integrated circuits, automatic data processing equipment, medicines and medical equipment. Second, strengthen cooperation in new- and high- tech, and enhance the level of cooperation. The level of China's new- and high- tech industry has been increasingly enhanced,and the strength of industry has been continuously strengthened in recent years. And more and more state-level economic and technological development zones in China have become the gathering area for new- and high- tech industry. Ireland has the reputation of "European Silicon Valley" and "Software kingdom", with IT, bio-pharmaceutical, information and communication as its pillar industries. China and Ireland shall enhance cooperation in these areas. Third, promote two-way investment and seek common development. Investment of Irish enterprises in China has been growing rapidly since this year, up by 47.6% year-on-year in the first three quarters, with more than 20 new projects. Ireland enjoys a superior location and favorable investment environment, and is one of the EU countries that have the lowest corporate income tax rate, which has a great attraction to Chinese enterprises. China welcomes more Irish enterprises make China as the top choice for investment in Asia, and encourage competitive Chinese enterprises to increase investment in Ireland, so as to enhance China-Ireland trade and economic cooperation.

Kelleher spoke highly of China's rapid economic development, as well as the remarkable achievement of Ireland-China trade and economic cooperation. Ireland began to invest in China from 1989, and by September 2009, over 90 companies and 190 investment projects have been established by Irish enterprises in China, with over US $400 million of actual investment, creating about 4,000 jobs. Ireland and China have strong economic complementarities and great development potential in trade and investment cooperation. He hoped enterprises of the two countries would enhance cooperation in such areas as modern agriculture, information and communication, bio-engineering, pharmaceuticals, new materials and education, etc. Ireland shall courage domestic enterprises to expand investment in China, and hope more Chinese enterprises to further research into Ireland's investment environment and industrial advantages, and explore the market.