TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen is to meet Chinese premier Wen Jiabao for talks this morning in Beijing.
Mr Cowen arrived in the Chinese capital yesterday to join a delegation of some 180 business people and academics promoting trade, investment and educational links with China. Before his meeting with the premier at the Great Hall of the People, Mr Cowen will address a business breakfast of about 500 members of the Irish community and Chinese entrepreneurs, organised by Enterprise Ireland.
Minister for Education and Science Batt O'Keeffe and Minister of State for Trade and Commerce John McGuinness will also attend. Mr Cowen is expected to emphasise the continuing attractions of Ireland for investment.
The Taoiseach was initially due to arrive in China on Monday last, but his departure was delayed due to the political situation at home.
In a statement issued as he left Dublin, Mr Cowen said: "The aim of this trade mission is to develop and further enhance the significant commercial relationship between Ireland and China, to raise awareness of Ireland as a source of world-class products and services, and to support Irish companies in accessing opportunities within China."
Mr Cowen is expected to hold a brief news conference after his meeting with the premier and may hold a second news conference later. He will attend a lunch hosted by Ireland's Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Declan Kelleher, followed by a Bord Bia event. This afternoon he addresses students at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, where he may refer to the Lisbon referendum.
Speaking in Shanghai yesterday, Mr O'Keeffe said export sales worth €25 million to Ireland over the next 18 months would result from new contracts and agreements signed by Irish companies with Chinese organisations.
Mr McGuinness said: "Quite a number of the contracts that have been agreed in Shanghai represent first-time sales in this market for small and medium Enterprise Ireland client companies."
The chief executive officer of Enterprise Ireland, Frank Ryan, said the mission "builds on the success of all previous missions to China, which is a high-growth market for our companies".
Asked if he had raised the case of Aiqin Wang, who has been under arrest for links with the Falun Gong religious movement, and whose son, Tang Liang, is a food science student at University College Cork, which has long-standing educational links with China, Mr O'Keeffe said this was "more appropriate" for the Taoiseach. The Ministers were asked if they had raised the issue of human rights or Tibet with the Chinese authorities.
Mr O'Keeffe replied: "This is a trade mission and we have focused absolutely on trade.
"Other issues like that are, in the normal run of events, dealt with by the Minister for Foreign Affairs."