The Irish Ambassador to China Ann Derwin leads me around the Ireland Pavilion at CIFTIS 2022. It is a boisterous pavilion with signature Irish delicacies, music and sports demonstrations, all donning the iconic green colors and Celtic harp. 

Robust trade ties, which grew by 21% last year despite the pandemic, underlie China-Ireland relations.

Ambassador Derwin recognizes that Ireland, like the rest of Europe, faces the 3 Cs of Climate change, Covid and conflict this year. But she acknowledges that Irish people can weather these uncertainties because they are industrious like their Chinese peers. 

“Ireland is acutely aware of the size of the Chinese market. We know many opportunities and global trends will emerge in Asia, here in China. So for that reason its important that our companies have a presence here, and are connected to cutting edge technology,” says Derwin.

Ireland’s emphasis on innovation to boost economic growth is demonstrated in many of the US’ Big Tech firms setting up their European headquarters in Ireland, like Google and Meta. Chinese companies like Huawei and Tiktok have also begun investing and setting up offices in Ireland. But Derwin adds that both China and Ireland have been prioritizing research. She says, “The Chinese government like the Irish government, are prioritizing high-tech, whether it is med-tech or fin-tech.” 

China-Ireland collaboration on research is best exemplified by Wuxi Biologics, a leading Chinese pharmaceutical company, setting up a vaccine manufacturing facility in Dundalk, Ireland. This joint venture by Wuxi is expected to produce $150 million worth of vaccines over the next 20 years. Derwin hopes that Ireland can lend its expertise in Fin-tech and agri-tech while learning from China’s prowess in e-commerce and bio-tech.

Derwin notes that Irish and Chinese people understand the importance of trade and exporting, be it goods or services. Ireland’s economy is forecasted to grow by 5-7% since the start of Covid, while its employment levels have also grown in the same period. Ireland has focused on trade and tech innovation, especially with China, to keep its society dynamic and its economy humming.