[caption id="attachment_69955" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Vice President of China Xi Jinping shakes hands with Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the Ireland-China Trade and Investment Forum at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on the last day of Xi's state visit to Ireland. "]
Taoiseach Enda Kenny will visit China next month, this after the visit to Ireland this week by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping
and Dublin is hoping that its business relationship with China has been significantly bolstered after a visit by the man expected to be the country's next leader.
Ireland was the only European Union country visited by Xi and his 150 business delegates following a visit to the U.S., and it was his second visit to Ireland since 2003 when he was a provincial party secretary.
Passing on congratulations from Chinese president Hu Jintao to his Irish counterpart, Michael D. Higgins, on the latter's recent election victory, Xi also discussed on-going trade links that could boost Ireland's flagging economy.
Xi faced a small number of protests over his country's human rights record during his three-day visit, but also made friends with public displays of indulging in Irish culture.
These included kicking a Gaelic football for cameras in Croke Park, attending a performance of Riverdance and visiting the picturesque Cliffs of Moher.
On Monday, Xi attended an investment forum involving 300 companies, and met Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Agreements over trade and investment were signed.
One hope rising from the visit is that China will choose Ireland as its European outpost for several hi-tech companies, similar to moves by U.S. firms at the height of the Celtic Tiger.
Mr. Kenny is now preparing to visit China next month and will probably do so after his visit to Washington for St. Patrick's Day celebrations.
Said the taoiseach: "Ireland and China have much to offer each other in food and agriculture, in high technology research and in investment. We should make every effort to realize that potential."
Speaking at the trade forum in Dublin, Mr. Xi said: "High-tech and emerging industries can become a priority in China-Ireland economic cooperation and trade.
"China and Ireland enjoy a long friendship with mutual respect. Both countries share common characteristics in attaching importance to education, agriculture and people's wisdom."
