Premier Zhu thanked his Irish counterpart for the hospitality the Irish Government and its people have demonstrated in receiving the Chinese delegation.

Ties between the two have developed very fast in recent years and Prime Minister Ahern's visit to China in 1998 promoted that development, he said.

The premier said both economies are developing very fast at present, which has laid a solid foundation for the further development of friendly relations.

Ireland has succeeded in industrial restructuring with IT and high-tech at its core and has greatly promoted its economic development, Premier Zhu said.

Ireland has a lot of experience that China needs to learn from, the premier said.

Zhu stressed that the Chinese Government attaches great importance to developing long-term and stable co-operative ties with Ireland.

Although trade co-operation between the two has achieved a great deal, trade volume is still very small, the premier said. So there is great potential for further trade co-operation.

Premier Zhu mentioned three areas in which the co-operation between the two should have great potential: high technology, education and culture, and labour exchange.

Irish high technology professionals are welcome to launch co-operative projects in China, and the Chinese side is willing to import more high technology products from Ireland, the premier said.

China's high technology is developing fast, while that of Ireland progresses even faster, so the potential for co-operation exists, Zhu explained.

The two countries already signed an agreement on education co-operation in January and the memorandum on culture co-operation was signed yesterday morning. Premier Zhu said these two agreements will play an important role in promoting co-operation in such areas.

Prime Minister Ahern shared Premier Zhu's comment on relations between the two countries. He said he exchanged views with Zhu on many other occasions besides their mutual visits.

He added that Ireland attaches great importance to its relations with China and saw the great achievements China had made when he visited the country in 1998

(China Daily 09/04/2001)