Visiting senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Liu Yunshan held talks with Irish President Michael D. Higgins Monday on promoting bilateral ties to a new stage.

China and Ireland, though far apart in distance, share broad common interests on bilateral and international affairs, said Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

The Sino-Irish ties have developed steadily for years and formed a multi-layer exchange pattern of trusting each other politically, benefiting each other economically, and learning from each other culturally, Liu said.

China and Ireland have set up a mutually beneficial strategic partnership and become a model for countries of different sizes and systems and in different stages of development that could treat each other equally and maintain friendly cooperation, Liu said.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of China-Ireland diplomatic relations, he said, adding that China is ready to make joint efforts with Ireland to enrich the content of the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries continuously and promote the Sino-Irish ties onto a new stage.

Higgins said for his part that Ireland and China share similar historical experiences so the two peoples understand each other and feel close to each other emotionally.

The Irish side believes that it is very important to advance comprehensive cooperative ties with China, said the president, hoping that the two countries could further strengthen cooperation in medical science, modern agriculture, and tourism.

Liu said cultural exchanges and learning are conducive to world peace and development.

"The Irish culture is unique and characteristic. The literary works of George Bernard Shaw and William Butler Yeats are deeply favored by the Chinese people. Riverdance is popular in China," said Liu.

China's traditional culture and custom are gradually known by the Irish people, he said.

China is willing to jointly promote the level of cultural exchanges with Ireland and push forward a deep development of the Sino-Irish mutually beneficial strategic partnership, Liu said.

Higgins echoed Liu's views, saying that culture is diversified and colorful and exchanges between different cultures demonstrate the inclusiveness of culture.

The Irish culture and the Chinese culture are both rich in content and enjoy broad space for exchanges, the president said, adding that boosting cultural cooperation will inject new vitality into bilateral relations.