On the morning of January 17, 2024 local time, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council met with President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins in Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin.

Li Qiang said that though China and Ireland are geographically apart with different national conditions, they have enjoyed enduring friendship as well as highly compatible development concepts. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and Mr. President Michael D. Higgins, China-Ireland relations have developed steadily and bilateral practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results. China stands ready to work with Ireland to adhere to the principle of mutual respect and equality, and take the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Ireland diplomatic relations this year as an opportunity to further implement the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state, continuously enhance mutual understanding and trust between the two countries, fully accommodate each other's major interests and core concerns, continuously advance the level and boost the effects of cooperation in various fields, and push for greater development of the China-Ireland strategic partnership for mutually beneficial cooperation.

Li Qiang pointed out that mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Ireland is promising. China is willing to deepen cooperation with Ireland in such fields as economy, trade and investment, green development and scientific and technological innovation, strengthen people-to-people exchanges in education, culture and other fields and further facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries. Both sides should work together to uphold a free and open international trading system and maintain stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains. Both sides should practice true multilateralism, bridge differences through dialogue, and resolve disputes through cooperation, so as to push for better global governance, promote common development, and inject greater stability and positive energy into a world rocked by changes and turmoil.

Michael D. Higgins said that relations between Ireland and China have maintained a sound momentum of development and both sides have always adhered to mutual understanding and respect. Ireland stands ready to strengthen friendly communications with China to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly meet climate change, food security, sustainable development, and other global challenges, and deepen the friendship between the two peoples, so as to promote the continuous and in-depth development of bilateral relations.