On the morning of January 17, 2024 local time, Premier Li Qiang of the State Could held talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at Farmleigh House in Dublin.

Li Qiang said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ireland 45 years ago, bilateral relations have maintained sound and stable development. In recent years, in particular, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Michael D. Higgins, the China-Ireland strategic partnership for mutually beneficial cooperation has increasingly deepened, and exchanges and cooperation in various fields have continuously expanded, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. China is ready to work with Ireland to carry forward traditional friendship, consolidate political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and share development opportunities more fully, in a bid to bring more benefits to the two countries and the two peoples.

Li Qiang pointed out that China is willing to work with the Irish side to adhere to mutual respect and trust, strive to seek common ground while shelving and resolving differences, deepen mutual understanding, and support each other on major issues. The two sides should adhere to mutual benefit, and always regard each other as key cooperative partners and development opportunities. The two sides should continuously expand trade, strengthen cooperation in green and low-carbon development, sustainable agriculture, finance and other fields, and expand innovation cooperation in such fields as digital economy, biomedicine and artificial intelligence, making the pie of cooperation bigger. China will apply a unilateral visa-free policy to Ireland to facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries. Li expressed the hope that Ireland will provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises. China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Ireland within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, practice true multilateralism, jointly tackle global challenges and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Li also hopes that Ireland will play a greater role in promoting the sound and stable development of China-Europe relations.

Varadkar said that China is an important cooperative partner of Ireland, and the two countries have always adhered to mutual respect and trust. Ireland appreciates China's great achievements in economic and social development, always abides by the one-China principle, and hopes that China will achieve peaceful reunification at an early date. Ireland stands ready to expand two-way investment with China, strengthen cooperation in such fields as agriculture, food, innovation, and green development, and deepen people-to-people exchanges in education and culture. The Irish side is willing to actively consider providing more convenience for Chinese citizens to visit Ireland, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Ireland. Ireland supports further deepening Europe-China cooperation.

Prior to the talks, Varadkar held a grand welcoming ceremony for Li Qiang and Li Qiang reviewed the Irish Guard of Honor.