On 16th March, Vice President Song Jingwu hosted a luncheon in honor of the visiting Irish Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Alan Kelly and the accompanying Irish Ambassador to China, Mr. Paul Kavanagh.
Vice President Song extended his welcome to Minister Kelly and his delegation on behalf of President Li Xiaolin. He said, last December, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland signed the “Memorandum of Understanding on a Framework for Jointly Enhancing People-to-People Exchange and Cooperation Between the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland”. The CPAFFC would like to, on the basis of this MOU, make joint efforts with the Irish related authorities to facilitate China-Ireland youth exchanges in the fields of agriculture and environmental protection, enhance local government cooperation, promote the two countries’ cultural exchanges, and contribute to advancing China-Ireland mutually-beneficial strategic partnership.
Minister Kelly said that China and Ireland share a traditional friendship. He is willing to work together with the CPAFFC to expand cooperation to various fields. Ambassador Kavanagh said that Ireland will join hands with the CPAFFC to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, promote local government cooperation and the development of people-to-people diplomacy.
