On 17 May, 2015 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Ireland for a two-day visit, premier Li is an economist and is the head of government and regarded as being one of the key stewards of the future growth of one of the world’s largest economies. He was accompanied by a number of government ministers as well as his wife Professor Cheng.
During the visit he held talks with the Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Ashford Castle Co Mayo. The main focus of the meeting was to strengthen trade and tourism links between the two countries and came in the wake of the lifting of a ban on Irish beef by the Chinese authorities earlier this year.
The Government said the two day trip was the latest step in the deepening of contacts and relations between Ireland and China at the highest level.
The Taoiseach and Premier Li visited a farm in Headford Co Mayo which gave the Chinese leader first-hand experience of Ireland’s high-quality agri-food sector and to help promote Ireland as an environmentally friendly tourism destination.
A diplomatic visa waiver was also agreed during the visit, signifying the growing friendship and intensified trade and investment relationship between the two countries. This agreement will facilitate visits and intensified cooperation on both sides. The wavier is complementary to the British Irish Visa Scheme, introduced by this Government, and rolled out in China last autumn, which allows Chinese passport holders to travel to both Ireland and the UK on a single valid visitor visa issued by either Ireland or the UK.
