Background and History

The Ireland and China Association was formed in November 2000 with the aim of bringing together Irish and Chinese business people for the purpose of exploring business opportunities and making contacts.

Enterprise Ireland | Return to top

Enterprise Ireland is the government organisation charged with assisting the development of Irish enterprise. Their core mission is "To work in partnership with client companies to develop a sustainable competitive advantage, leading to a significant increase in profitable sales, exports and employment".

Their clients are mainly Irish manufacturing and internationally traded services companies employing ten or more people, and overseas food & natural resources companies operating in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland also administers national and EU supports for building technological innovation capability and co-operation between industry and higher educational institutions. For futher details see, www.enterprise-ireland.com.cn

Enterprise Ireland in China | Return to top

Enterprise Ireland has offices in the Irish Embassy, Beijing, where it operates as the Commercial Section of the Embassy of Ireland. In Shanghai, we work from the Commercial Section of the Irish Consulate General's Office.In Hong Kong SAR we have an independent office.

The function of Enterprise Ireland is to assist the development of Irish-owned companies in terms of trade and technology.

In our day-to-day work in these offices, we react to requests from Irish companies for assistance in the China/HKSAR markets. When Irish companies visit the territory, we organise itineraries for the visitors and introduce them to prospective partners and customers. We also carry out research and other business related tasks for our Irish clients.

We also process inquiries that come from Chinese companies and individuals, and we seek out new contacts in State-owned and private companies in China that might create new opportunities for Irish companies.
Enterprise Ireland operates a regional strategy in helping to open up the China market for Ireland.

Concentrating on the coastal regions of China, we are providing services to Irish companies in the major population centers of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong/Guangzhou.

A sectoral approach is also being pursued in China: The Education Services (including Distance Education technology and software), Power, Construction Services and the Software/Telecom sectors are those which are being targeted at present. In future years we will encourage companies from other sectors to take a close look at the China market.

Irish companies are active now in all the above mentioned sectors in the China/HK market - and Enterprise Ireland is expanding the range of contacts in each, in order to encourage more Irish companies to explore the market.

A number of long-term strategies are being pursued in order to bring the Irish and Chinese business communities into more regular contact.

Enterprise Ireland in China participates in a number of Trade Shows each year, some of which will involve the participation of Irish companies and others which are designed to raise the profile of Ireland and to gather market information. In some cases we will organise booths for Irish companies, in other cases we operate information and advertising booths.

Core Objectives

The objectives of the Association are:

To promote greater economic ties between Ireland and China
To increase trade and commerce between Ireland and China
To increase cultural links between Ireland and China
To promote the greater knowledge of both countries
To further the links in all ways open to the association

We hope to achieve these objectives:

By providing a programme of networking events, in the form of Evening Business Briefings with Guest Speakers, every two months.
By the development of a regular Enewsletter for members, containing trade information and news of ICA events.
Through co-operation with Irish and Chinese state bodies in meeting a significant number of visiting trade groups from China.

Core Activities | Return to top

[To be updated]

Student Chapter | Return to top

We’re delighted to confirm the recent formation of the Student Chapter of the Ireland China Association, under the chairmanship of Ms. Cecily Xing. Ms. Xing has been co-opted onto the ICA Council with observer status, to assist in liaising between the Student Chapter and the main organisation. Griffith College, Portobello College, Trinity College Dublin, UCC and UCD are all founding members of the Student Chapter.
The student chapter will be self-financing. It is open to both Irish and Chinese students, and indeed students of any nationality. The main issues currently of interest to the chapter are:

Employment opportunities with ICA member organisations, including profiling students seeking employment. Coordination of activities and information between the ICA and the Student Chapter. Promotion of Chinese, and indeed Asian, affairs to Irish students.

Relationship with Irish Exporters Association (IEA)

The Irish Exporters Association (IEA) is the representative organisation for all those involved in international trade. Its prime objectives are:

• To promote Irish exports and trade in services of all kinds
• To encourage trade growth and improvement in all aspects of exports in all markets
• To promote the improvement of trade practices in Ireland and in all export markets
• To examine and deal with any Government proposals which are calculated to affect the export trade of Ireland. And to take all necessary steps to have the views of the Association placed before the relevant Government department at local, national and EU level
• To give the legislative and public bodies facilities for conferring with and ascertaining the views of members of the Association on matters affecting the export trade of Ireland
• To provide and promote education on all aspects of Irish exports.

The IEA provides a wide range of services to its members and keeps them fully informed on all aspects of international trade issues through regular comprehensive e-mail broadcasts.

As part of the government’s Asia Pacific Strategy the IEA set up its Asia Trade Forum to promote trade between Ireland and China, India and Japan. As the two associations are focusing on common ground it was decided that the secretariat services for the Ireland China Association should be handled by the IEA and this move was made earlier this year. This will provide members of both associations with an increased expertise in Asian matters and in particular all matters pertaining to China.

For further details on the IEA please see our website www.irishexporters.ie or contact Radia Bounouba by e-mail at radia@irishexporters.org or phone on 00353-1-661-2182.

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