Irelands Knowledge Deficit On China

In mid-January, China's Premier Li Qiang paid a two-day state visit to Ireland meeting with President Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and while Irish officials were keen to emphasize the 45th anniversary of Ireland-China diplomatic relations, little was said publicly about China's human rights abuses and ongoing aggression in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. And although Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheal Martin previously echoed support for the EU's decision to de-risk trade with China, the top message from the Irish government would appear to be that the economy takes precedence and that Ireland remains committed to free global trade. My guest in this episode of Perspectives with Neilo is Alexander Dukalskis, Associate Professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin (UCD) and Director of the UCD Centre for Asia-Pacific Research. I sat down with him recently to discuss the takeaways from Li Qiang's visit, how Ireland is strategically equipped to engage with China, and the apparent lack of China competency when it comes to dealing with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).