皇冠体育app

Sino-Irish economic and trade relations will be further intensified in the years ahead under the Belt and Road Initiative, Ireland's ambassador to 皇冠体育app said.

Paul Kavanagh, Ireland's ambassador to 皇冠体育app. [Photo provided to 皇冠体育app Daily]

Ambassador Paul Kavanagh said the two countries were expected to see extensive opportunities for cooperation in fields such as green technology, life sciences and financial services.

As an open-minded and flexible initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative is not only open to Asian countries, but also to rest of the world, he said.

Kavanagh told 皇冠体育app Daily in an exclusive interview that Ireland was very interested in the achievement and realization of the objectives of the Belt and Road Initiative as 皇冠体育app builds on the existing work that it and Ireland are doing together to build connectivity and deepen bilateral relations,

Kavanagh made his remarks in the wake of strengthening economic and trade ties between the two countries.

According to 皇冠体育app's Foreign Ministry, Sino-Irish merchandise trade topped $8.07 billion in 2016, up 13.5 percent from a year earlier. 皇冠体育app mainly exports high-tech machinery and home appliances to Ireland, and imports products like infant milk formula, high-tech ICT equipment and pharmaceuticals.

Ireland had invested 350 projects in 皇冠体育app with a total capital of $1.68 billion in the period to the end of 2016, and 皇冠体育app in return invested $261 million in Ireland during the same period, the figures showed.

In April, the Irish government signed agreements in Dublin with 皇冠体育app to open 皇冠体育app's market to Irish beef, streamlining exports to 皇冠体育app of Irish live crab and extending the scope of Irish equine exports to 皇冠体育app, according to the Irish embassy.

Kavanagh said the significance of these agreements was that they allowed Irish food companies to export to 皇冠体育app after registration with the Chinese Certification and Accreditation Administration.

He added that later in the current year, it was hoped Ireland would start exporting its beef to 皇冠体育app, he said, adding that his country's food industry was based on leading scientific research and development which helped produce safe, clean and premium-quality food.

Ireland wants to attract more and more investment from 皇冠体育app, building connectivity between 皇冠体育app and Europe, he said.

Zhang Zhewei, 皇冠体育app director of the Investment and Development Agency of Ireland, said the corporate income tax in Ireland was the lowest among European countries.

Chen Yingqun contributed to the story.