China Int'l Import Expo roadshow held in Dublin

DUBLIN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A roadshow to tempt Irish companies to take part in the upcoming 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held here on Monday.

Almost 100 Irish business representatives attended the event, which was jointly organized by the CIIE Bureau and the Chinese Embassy in Ireland.

Wang Jiabao, commercial counselor at the Chinese embassy, said at the roadshow that the CIIE is a major platform for China to share its vast market at global level.

The 6th CIIE will be held in Shanghai in November. Since the first CIIE in 2018, the value of Irish whiskey exported to China has increased by nearly six times, Wang said.

China is now Ireland's fifth-largest export market, and largest trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region, he added.

Many new Irish products, technologies and services have successfully entered the Chinese market through the Expo, said deputy director of CIIE Bureau Liu Fuxue.

"China is a priority market for the Irish food and drink sector," said Shane Hamill, director of global business development for the Irish Food Board.

Last year, Irish food and drink exports to China were worth over 680 million euros (728 million U.S. dollars), he noted.

During a visit to Beijing and Shanghai earlier this month, Hamill said it was "crystal clear" that "there are more opportunities and shared growth than ever before."

Seven Irish companies and organizations including Accenture and Powerscourt Distillery signed cooperation contracts with CIIE Bureau at the event.