Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny May 17 local time in Shannon, Ireland.

The Premier thanked Kenny for coming to Shannon from Dublin to welcome the Chinese delegation with several cabinet ministers and said he was glad to hold talks during his stopover in Ireland.

The Premier praised the mutual understanding and support between China and Ireland and the in-depth traditional friendship between the two peoples.

[Photo/english.gov.cn]

He said China hopes to deepen strategic mutual trust with Ireland and enhance exchanges and coordination on important global agendas such as peace, development and international governance, so as to better promote the development of the China-Ireland mutual beneficial strategic partnership.

Premier Li briefed Kenny about China’s economic development and expressed the hope that the two sides use their complementary economic advantages to expand trade, increase mutual investment, enhance cooperation in agriculture, the biopharmaceutical industry, information technology, and promote exchanges in education, culture and tourism.

He said the agreement on mutual visa exemption for business and diplomatic passport-holders reached during his visit will offer more conveniences for businessmen, students and tourists.

Premier Li said he was happy to see that Europe’s economy is improving and its integration is further promoted.

He said he hopes to see a united, powerful and prosperous European Union.

China is willing to make new progress in overall cooperation in various fields with the EU, inject new vitality into China-EU relations and jointly promote the world economic recovery, the Premier said.

Kenny praised the Chinese government’s economic reform efforts, saying that Ireland values its ties with China and hopes to maintain high-level exchanges and expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, finance, aviation leasing, clean energy, biopharmaceutical, education and tourism and enhance people-to-people exchanges.

The two leaders witnessed the signing of cooperation deals on people-to-people exchanges and agriculture.

[Photo/english.gov.cn]

[Photo/english.gov.cn]