China and Ireland officially established diplomatic relations in 1979, and over the past 45 years, the two countries have always adhered to mutual respect and equal treatment, and bilateral relations have developed steadily and healthily, becoming a model for countries with different histories, cultures and political systems to get along with each other in a friendly manner, and to cooperate and win-win.

The Irish Food Board (Bord Bia) recently held a “Workshop on Sustainable Agricultural Development in Ireland” in Beijing to discuss Ireland's innovative practices and remarkable achievements in the field of agriculture and food production, and to jointly explore the new direction and cooperation opportunities for sustainable agricultural development between China and Ireland.

The cooperation data of China and Ireland in the field of agricultural products and food is eye-catching. In terms of dairy products, Ireland's exports to China will exceed €462 million in 2023, a significant year-on-year increase. Meat exports, Irish beef exports to the Chinese mainland in 2023 reached nearly 20 million euros, exports to Hong Kong, China, a year-on-year increase of 61%, exports of more than 12.5 million euros; pork exports to China amounted to nearly 108 million euros, China continues to rank as Ireland's second largest export market for pork. In the field of alcohol, exports to China in 2023 amounted to about 13 million euros, an increase of 20% over the previous year. Seafood products also performed well, with exports totaling €26.52 million from January to August 2024, up 36 percent compared to the same period last year.

In addition to trade in agricultural products, China and Ireland are also engaged in extensive and in-depth cooperation in a number of areas, including agricultural technology exchange, agricultural investment, and agricultural education and training. The organization of this workshop is also a vivid example of relevant cooperation.

“Irish companies are strongly committed to driving business development in China and want to help meet the growing demand from Chinese consumers for high quality, sustainable, naturally nutritious food and drink.” Speaking at the workshop, Conor O'Sullivan, representative of the Irish Food Board, said Ireland's sustainability strategy has effectively supported the growth of Ireland's agricultural trade with China. Represented by the national sustainable development program “Origin Green” (Green) and Fishery Improvement Programme (Fishery Improvement Programme), Ireland from policy to practice to comprehensively support the green development of agriculture, showing a full range of ecological protection concepts from land to sea, for the global sustainable agriculture industry. It has demonstrated the concept of ecological protection from land to sea and contributed to global sustainable agriculture.

Focusing on Ireland's sustainable agriculture practices and achievements, the participants discussed in depth from the perspectives of research institutes, farms and processing plants, restaurant kitchens and the Chinese market.

“Yang Yubin, Project Manager of Functional Food Circle, shared his experience of visiting the Department of Agriculture and Food Development (Teagasc) and the Dairy Processing Technology Center (DPTC) in Ireland. He introduced that these organizations support sustainable development at the farm level through advanced research, provide efficient and innovative solutions for dairy companies, and emphasize scientific practices at the farm level, which greatly contribute to the industry's green future.

Reflecting on a memorable visit to an Irish beef farm, food and consumer online blogger Mustard shared the importance of Ireland's unique grass-fed farming system in producing quality beef and discussed in detail the strong link between animal welfare, environmental sustainability and quality beef. She said, “‘Irish grass-fed’ as a natural and sustainable farming method gives beef exceptional quality, making it increasingly popular with young Chinese consumers.”

Citing insights from visits to Irish farms and food factories, Young Chef Ren Zheng emphasized the importance of a seamless supply chain from the farm to the factory to the table to ensure food safety and quality. He also highlighted his experience of dining in Irish restaurants: “The chefs are committed to maintaining the natural flavor of the ingredients and avoiding overcooking, and this respect and value for the ingredients highlights the unique charm of Irish food culture.”

The guests agreed that sustainable agriculture in Ireland is not just a beautiful vision at the theoretical level, but has been rooted in this land and is practiced in practice. Standing on a new historical starting point, China and Ireland will continue to deepen their friendship, broaden the scope of cooperation, and jointly address global challenges such as climate change and resource shortages.