A Vice Minister for Economic Affairs from Taiwan is expected to arrive in Dublin this week, marking the second visit by a high ranking Taiwan government official to Ireland in just over a month.
Taiwan's interest in developing ties with Ireland comes against the background of a diplomatic war between China and Taiwan over recognition of Taiwan.
China regards Taiwan as a wayward province and routinely protests to any state which gives visas to any of its ministers.
Senior Taiwan officials interviewed in the capital Taipei last week said the visit of the Vice Minister for Economic Affairs Mr Sheu Ke sheng, and three officials was purely for trade and investment talks and was not political.
But China is likely to see any meeting with ministers in Dublin as government to government contact.
Dublin authorised visas for the four strong party last week.
When Taiwan's Vice President and Prime Minister, Mr Lien Chan, made a private visit to Dublin on January 17th, a Chinese government spokesman warned it could damage the "stable growth" of diplomatic links between China and Ireland.
No formal protest was made at the time by the Chinese, but the Irish Ambassador to Beijing, Mr Joe Hayes, was told informally and forcefully by Chinese officials that Ireland should not get involved in the Taiwan issue, according to diplomatic sources.
Since the United States infuriated China by giving a visa to Taiwan's President Lee Teng hui in 1995, the Beijing government has stepped up international pressured to isolate the island state to which the forces of Chiang Kai shek fled when the communists won control of mainland China in 1949.
Only 30 countries maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which is now the world's 14th largest trading entity. South Africa recently stunned Taiwan by announcing it would switch its diplomatic mission from Taipei tub Beijing at the end of 1997, and rival Taiwanese and Chinese officials have since been touring the world seeking to influence the remaining 29 countries.
Taiwan is now also seeking friends wherever it can find them and officials there said they hoped to persuade its business community to look at Ireland as an investment opportunity.
The Irish Trade Board downgraded its Taipei office last year to local staff after seven years during which there was no significant Taiwan investment in Ireland. The UK maintains a complement of 17 in its Taipei office, and the Northern Ireland Industrial Development Board maintains a full time official in the city.
The Department of Foreign Affairs adopts a one China approach in keeping with EU policy. But the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton, and the Minister for Tourism and Trade, Mr Kenny, have visited Taiwan and may meet Mr Sheu Ke sheng this week to explore the prospect of job creating investment in Ireland.
"Taiwan's economic strength should not be ignored," said Mr R.T. Yang, director of the European Affairs department of the Taiwan Foreign Ministry. "We are promoting Taiwan as the operations centre of Asian Pacific manufacturing, communications and financing." He said Taiwan had been disappointed when the Irish Trade Board downgraded its office in Taipei last year.