On the afternoon of May 17 local time, Premier Li Keqiang held talks in Shannon with Prime Minister Enda Kenny of Ireland.

Li Keqiang thanked Enda Kenny for leading several Cabinet Ministers to make a special trip from the capital to Shannon to receive the Chinese delegation, and expressed that he felt glad to hold meeting between the Chinese Premier and Irish Prime Minister during his stopover in Ireland.

Li Keqiang expressed that China and Ireland enjoy long-standing mutual understanding and support as well as profound traditional friendship between the two peoples. The Chinese side is willing to, together with the Irish side, adhere to mutual respect, equality and mutual trust, deepen strategic mutual trust, and strengthen communication and coordination in peace, development, international governance and other major global issues, so as to promote the China-Ireland strategic reciprocal partnership for better and faster development.

Li Keqiang introduced at inquiry the situation of China's economic development, and pointed out that it is hoped that the two sides could take complementary advantages in economy to enhance trade contacts, increase mutual investment and strengthen cooperation in agriculture, bio-pharmaceuticals, information technology and other fields. It is hoped that both sides could continue to advance exchanges in education, culture, tourism and other people-to-people and cultural fields. It is hoped that the two sides could further provide more convenience to bilateral personnel exchanges for businessmen, students, tourists and other personnel on the basis of the mutual visa exemption for bilateral holders of diplomatic and service passports reached during this visit.

Li Keqiang pointed out that the Chinese side is glad to see more positive signs in Europe's economy and steady progress of European integration, and hopes to see a united, strong and prosperous EU. China stands ready to work together with the European side to comprehensively promote cooperation in various fields for new progress so as to inject new impetus into China-Europe relations and jointly promote world economy to recover.

Enda Kenny welcomed Premier Li Keqiang to pay a stopover visit to Ireland. He expressed that Ireland-China relations enjoy long-standing friendship and in particular, bilateral relations have developed smoothly since the establishment of the strategic reciprocal partnership between the two countries. Ireland pays great attention to the prospects of China's economic development, admires economic reforming measures taken by the Chinese government, attaches importance to developing relations with China and stands ready to further maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen cooperation in trade, agriculture, finance, aviation lease, clean energy, bio-pharmaceuticals, education, tourism and other fields, and intensify personnel exchanges with China. The Irish side is willing to help Chinese enterprises to enter the European market.

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents covering personnel exchange facilitation, agriculture and other fields.