Senior CPC official visits Ireland

DUBLIN, June 25 (Xinhua) -- A delegation led by Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, paid a visit to Ireland from Thursday to Saturday.

During the visit, Liu held separate meetings with Speaker of the Irish Senate Jerry Buttimer, former prime minister Bertie Ahern, Leader of the Green Party and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs Joe Hackett and Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council Eddie Fitzpatrick. Liu also held a meeting and exchanged views with scholars at the Institute of International and European Affairs, a think tank in Ireland.

The two sides shared the view that China and Ireland are important cooperative partners for each other.

They agreed to further strengthen exchanges between political parties, governments, think tanks and local authorities, people-to-people exchanges and exchanges between various sectors of society, deepen practical cooperation in economy and trade, environmental protection, innovation and medicine, as well as promote greater development of the China-Ireland and China-Europe relations, they said.