Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's years of courting China

First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill with Belfast's Chinese Consul General, Madame Zhang Meifang
First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill with Belfast's Chinese Consul General, Madame Zhang Meifang First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill with Belfast's Chinese Consul General, Madame Zhang Meifang

STORMONT and other Northern Ireland institutions have for years been courting China.

The executive set up a trade bureau in Beijing in 2014, and the Chinese government established a consulate in Belfast the following year.

The bureau's role is to encourage the Chinese government to "look positively at Northern Ireland", according to the Executive Office website.

It aims to persuade Chinese organisations "to do business with us, to study with our institutions, share best practice, enjoy each other's culture and to visit us".

Ministers have been keen to maintain relations with the consulate, such as Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill joining Belfast's Chinese Consul General, Madame Zhang Meifang, in January for Chinese New Year celebrations.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, ministers have been liaising with Chinese authorities in a bid to secure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the north's health workers.

Health minister Robin Swann in April joined a conference call with Madame Zhang and thanked her for a Chinese government donation of 10,000 face masks.

"We are proud of the business connections and friendships we have cultivated with China over many years," he said.

In late 2016, Mrs Foster fronted a trade mission to China by herself when the then Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness opted out due to illness.

Amid the absence of devolved government in 2017, NI Civil Service chief David Sterling signed Memoranda of Understanding with two Chinese provinces.

The memoranda were described as "extending existing co-operation across economic development, education, research exchange and culture".

Ulster University has had a partnership with China's Ministry of Education since 2011, known as the Confucius Institute.

However, some western universities have been closing their Confucius Institutes due to concerns over influence on academic freedom.

Queen's University Belfast has developed "strong strategic partnerships" with China in research and education, and has more than 1,000 students from China and Hong Kong.

It has chartered a jumbo jet at a cost of around £600,000 to bring hundreds of students from China to Belfast in September, amid concerns the Covid-19 pandemic will cause a drastic loss of income from its international student intake.