MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin met senior figures from the Irish business community in Asia yesterday as he hosted a meeting of the Global Irish Network initiative in Shanghai.
The meeting was attended by Irish business leaders from China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea and Hong Kong.
“We had a vigorous and robust discussion and they were eager to help out Ireland,” Mr Martin said. “One thing they suggested was that we do more to market Ireland’s financial services sector in Asia.
“They also saw huge untapped potential in tourism and food know-how was also addressed. On education, they said we needed to have a more two-way approach and to develop scholarships for students from Asia to go to Ireland.”
According to Enterprise Ireland, 290 Irish firms are operating in the Asia-Pacific region.
At the Irish pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 Expo, Mr Martin attended several events, including readings from a George Bernard Shaw essay competition and a group of software students performing Riverdance.
“One thing he addressed very well was the visa issue,” said Brendan Brophy, general manager of the Porterhouse Pavilion at the Expo, chairman of the Shanghai Ireland Association and co-owner of the Irishman’s Pub in the city.
“That’s a real problem for us here in China, getting visas for Chinese people to go to Ireland. He seemed to be listening. He told us to be blunt and there were a fair few people in the audience nodding their heads.”
Other dignitaries he met included China’s former ambassador to Ireland Sha Hailin, who is deputy secretary general of the Shanghai provincial government council.
Mr Martin’s five-day visit is aimed at promoting diplomatic, trade and education links. It has included meetings with senior Chinese figures including his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and vice-premier Li Keqiang, who is expected to become a senior figure in the next transfer of power in China in two years’ time.
He also met former Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year Liam Casey, whose PCH company is one of Ireland’s most significant presences in China.
