China’ Premier Li Keqiang received a warm welcome at Shannon Airport on Sunday at at the start of a two-day visit to Ireland.
Premier Li and his wife Professor Cheng Hong were greeted on arrival by Minister for Finance Michael Noonan; Shannon Group chairman Rose Hynes; CEO Neil Pakey, Irish Ambassador to China, Paul Kavanagh,;Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Ireland Jianguo Xu and Deputy Pat Breen.
Premier Li, accompanied on the visit by eight Chinese government ministers, travelled on to Headford to meet Taoiseach Enda Kenny on at local farm. Later they had a series of meeting at Ashford Castle. f
Minister Noonan said, “It’s a very important visit because Premier Li is on the way to an extensive visit in South America and as part of that they have decided to stop over in Ireland. We are particularly pleased that he has chosen to stop over in Shannon.
“We would also like to see more Chinese inward investment and they have a particular interest in financial services.”
Ms Hynes said that Premier Li’s arrival was another significant day for the airport and region.
“The Chinese Government has a relationship with this region going back to the 1980s. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited here in 2012 and to have the Chinese premier here today speaks volumes about the ties between China and this part of Ireland.
Deputy Pat Bren said the visit of the Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang is an important opportunity for Ireland.
“We have developed our relationships with China considerably since this Government came to office, with many high level visits to each country including the visit of President Xi Jinping, when he was vice-president in 2012.
“I have seen first-hand the potential for expanding the relationship been the two countries during two visits to China in the past few years,” he said.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.