In the afternoon of December 10, 2014, Premier Li Keqiang met with President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland at the Great Hall of the People.

Li Keqiang said that the China-Ireland relations are always developing in a stable and sound manner. Yesterday, President Xi Jinping held a sincere and friendly talk with you. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries, and we are willing to strengthen exchanges at all levels with Ireland, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and constantly enrich the connotation of the bilateral relations. We hope that as an important member of the European Union (EU), Ireland will continue playing a positive role in promoting the development of the China-EU relations.

Li Keqiang pointed out that currently, through the promotion of public entrepreneurship and people's innovation, China is fostering new economic impetus and creating a new economic "engine" to promote the Chinese economy to maintain a medium-high speed growth and move toward the medium-high level. In the 1980s, through innovation and science and technology, Ireland achieved leapfrog development from the agro-pastoral economy to a knowledge-based economy. China is willing to conduct exchanges and share experience with the Irish side to achieve mutual benefit, win-win results and common development.

Higgins said both countries enjoy profound friendship, similar culture and long history of communication. In recent years, the Ireland-China relations have continuously expanded and bilateral exchanges and cooperation in education, science and technology and other fields have become closer and closer. The Irish side has always cherished its relations with China and is willing to strengthen cooperation in bilateral and multilateral areas with China, to jointly cope with global challenges and to promote the sustainable development of both the Ireland-China relations and the EU-China relations.