BIRMINGHAM, England / ISLAMABAD / ISTANBUL 

Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on Monday discussed deepening economic ties as well as relations between China and the European Union.

Martin arrived in the Chinese capital on Sunday for a five-day official visit, the first by an Irish prime minister in 14 years.

“Mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit are valuable experiences gathered from the long-term steady development of China-Ireland relations,” Xi said in his remarks.

Martin’s visit, which runs through Thursday, will also include engagements in Shanghai with senior Chinese officials and business leaders.

“The two sides should jointly pass them down and carry them forward. China is ready to work with Ireland to strengthen strategic communication, deepen political mutual trust and expand practical cooperation, to deliver more benefits to the two peoples and provide more impetus for China-Europe relations,” Xi said, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.

As China and Ireland support multilateralism and advocate international fairness and justice, “the two sides should strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs, jointly uphold the authority of the U.N., and work for a more just and equitable global governance system,” Xi said, according to a statement on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website.

Xi said China and the EU “should keep a long-term perspective, stay committed to working together as partners, view and handle differences in an objective and rational way, and pursue mutually beneficial cooperation.”

Martin urged “increased openness” in trade between Ireland and China, underscoring the importance of a strong economic relationship between the two nations, according to a statement from the Irish government.

He highlighted Ireland’s support for open markets and said both countries benefit from cooperative engagement in global trade.

China remains Ireland’s largest economic partner in Asia, with annual trade of around $42 billion, and is its fifth-largest globally.

Xi echoed those sentiments and signaled Beijing’s interest in boosting pragmatic cooperation across a range of sectors, including artificial intelligence, the digital economy, healthcare and education. He said China hopes to deepen strategic communication and political trust with Ireland, stressing multilateral cooperation on international issues, according to the Irish statement.

Both leaders reaffirmed a commitment to multilateralism and the authority of the U.N. and discussed the broader development of ties between China and the EU.

The Chinese side noted Ireland’s upcoming role holding the rotating EU Council presidency later this year, expressing hope that Dublin would contribute constructively to China-EU relations, the statement added.

Martin’s visit comes amid broader tensions between the European Union and China over tariffs, with recent Chinese duties on some EU dairy products and electric vehicles adding pressure to trade relations.