Donegal minister Charlie McConalogue has concluded a visit to China – the first part of his agri-food trade mission that will also include the Republic of Korea.
While in Beijing, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine held political meetings with his counterparts in the General Administration of Customs Controls (GACC), which is the administrative body responsible for market access of agri-food products to China, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
Minister McConalogue, who was accompanied by Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland, used his visit as a platform to build relationships between Irish food and drink export companies and key Chinese importers as well as to engage with potential Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) customers.
A key meeting with the Party Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Mr Han Jun and Vice Minister Ma Youxiang, was held to discuss further areas for co-operation. This included efforts to build on the continued and successful knowledge transfer programme that facilitates exchanges of technical expertise and experience between Irish and Chinese Officials.
Minister McConalogue also held positive discussions with Minister Yu Jianhua and Vice Minister Wang Lingjun from the GACC in relation to advancing market access opportunities for bone-in beef, beef offal and germinal products.
“China presents significant opportunities for Irish products and this trade mission has allowed us to reconnect and strengthen our trade relationships. I was pleased to meet with my counterparts in both the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the General Administration of Customs Controls who are key interlocutors for agricultural collaboration, including in research and educational exchanges and trade,” the Donegal minister commented.
“Following this exchange of views on potential areas for further collaboration, I am confident that we will build further on the robust bilateral relations already in place between our two countries. It was also a useful opportunity to discuss the current issues in relation to EU exports of pigmeat and dairy to China, and to provide assurances to the Chinese Authorities regarding the compliance of this trade with WTO rules,” he added.
Chef Li Zhanxu with Minister McConalogue at the Chef Masters event in Beijing
“Following my meetings with the Ministries I was delighted to meet with key partners in the China Academy of Agricultural Science and mark with them the ten-year anniversary of the China Ireland Sustainable Development Centre. This is testament to the great collaboration that has developed in this area,” the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine said.
Moving to Shanghai, Minister McConalogue had the opportunity to speak at the Ireland/China dairy seminar – partnering for a sustainable future.
The trade mission now moves to Seoul, Republic of Korea where Minister McConalogue will be engaging with government, key stakeholders and important commercial partners in the Korean food industry. The Donegal minister will address the Sustainable European Beef from Ireland trade seminar and officially launch Irish beef into the Korean market.