Ambassador Zhao Xiyuan visited the University of Galway from December 4 to 5. During his visit he met with the newly appointed President David Burn, and held discussions with scholars and students. Counselor Liu Yan from the Embassy also took part in the programme.

Ambassador Zhao noted that the 20th Central Committee of the CPC concluded its fourth plenary session and adopted the recommendations for formulating the 15th Five Year Plan (2026-2030), which reaffirms China’s commitment to high level opening up and the construction of a modern industrial system. He praised the University of Galway’s strengths in medicine, biology and information engineering, and said the university is well placed to seize opportunities arising from China’s development and to play a constructive role in cooperation between China and Ireland in education, science and technology.

President Burn outlined the university’s distinctive achievements in teaching, research and international exchange with Chinese institutions, and welcomed China’s efforts to uphold openness and support globalization. He expressed a strong interest in deepening and expanding collaborative ties with universities in China, both to advance the University’s development and to contribute positively to relations between Ireland and China.