Infographic: China-Ireland Relations 2026

Official Bilateral Mission Report 2026

Ireland & China

Executive Summary

The January 4–8, 2026, visit by Taoiseach Micheál Martin marks the first Irish leader’s mission to China in 14 years. With €36 Billion in annual trade, China is now Ireland’s 5th largest global partner. Dublin is leveraging this "Strategic Partnership" to secure high-value trade in pharma and agri-food while shoring up EU-China ties ahead of Ireland's July 2026 EU Presidency.

Trading Status

Largest Partner in Asia

Agri-Food (2024)

€613 Million Exports

Total Trade (2023)

€36.0B

Goods & Services Audit

Trade Balance

+€4.6B

Surplus in IE Favor

Global Rank

No. 5

IE Overall Global Partner

Jobs Supported

10.1k

Reciprocal Employment

The "Service Edge"

Comparing Services vs Goods Trade (€ Billions)

Detailed Ledger

Category	IE Exports to CN	CN Exports to IE
Merchandise (Goods)	€10.1B	€11.8B
Services (Digital/Fin)	€10.8B	€4.5B
Net Totals	€20.9B	€16.3B

Note: Ireland uniquely maintains a services trade surplus of over €6.3B, anchoring the bilateral stability.

Jan 2026 Itinerary

Jan 4

Official Arrival in Beijing.

Jan 5

Summit with President Xi Jinping.

Jan 6-7

Meetings with Premier Li Qiang and NPC Chair Zhao Leji.

Jan 8

Economic Mission in Shanghai.

Strategic Pillars

Multilateralism: Promoting effective global institutions for peace and fair trade.
EU Bridge: Preparing for the July 2026 EU Presidency by shoring up China-EU ties.
Education: Expanding cooperation through 12 Irish colleges and joint degree recognition.

Diplomatic dialogue continues on the HK Jimmy Lai case and human rights records.

Ireland and China Official Bilateral Mission Report 2026