Mr Li told them it was a “great pleasure” to make their acquaintance and passed on the greetings of Chinese president Xi Jinping. The two shook hands and Mr Li asked about Mr Higgins’ visit to his home province of Zhejiang. Warmly welcoming Mr Li at the state reception room, Mr Higgins said that he remembered his state visit to China and Mr Xi’s visit to Ireland in 2012 while he was vice-president. A band from the Irish Defence Forces played as Mr Li inspected the soldiers. Mr Varadkar said Ireland is seeking a strong and constructive relationship with China built on “trust and respect”.

Source: The Herald January 17, 2024 16:34 UTC