Cork, the EU's 2005 City of Culture, is to twin with China's second-largest city, Shanghai, later this year. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Martin, said yesterday that Cork was "very enthusiastic" about the plan.
"Both cities may be termed as second cities in their own countries, but they have a rather different perspective themselves on the matter," the Cork South Central TD said.
Future links between the two cities were discussed yesterday in talks between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, Mr Martin and the mayor of Shanghai, Mr Han Zheng.
The Government, said Mr Ahern, has already offered Shanghai, which hosts the Special Olympics in 2007, the benefit of Irish experience from two years ago. Mr Ahern urged Mr Zheng to involve schools and sporting organisations as much as possible. "It is one of the most satisfying things that one could ever be involved in," he said.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach was closely questioned by Chinese journalists yesterday about the impact of the smoking ban since its introduction in Ireland in March. Smokers in the Republic, he told them, had accepted the ban "in the greater good, even though it has caused them inconvenience".
Although he declined to urge the Chinese government to follow the Irish lead, Mr Ahern said: "The only advice that I can give is not to listen to arguments to restrict smoking to certain parts of an area, because that will not work."
Mr Ahern will travel this afternoon to Hong Kong on the last leg of the trade mission, where he will meet Hong Kong's powerful chief executive, Mr Tung Chee-hwa.