CONTACT USBIG5中文版日本语美国站美国站OLD VERSION

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Consul Generals in Shanghai sit down with Eastday reporters to talk about their countries’ friendly ties with China.
Closer ties ahead between China and Ireland

Source:english.eastday.com

By:Wang Jiaye

点赞中国“双赢”之道 专访爱尔兰驻沪副总领事

"Saint Patrick's Day has become a big celebration of Shanghai's cultural calendar. And in Ireland, Chinese New Year has become very popular. In Dublin, there will be great excitement around the city in February to celebrate Chinese New Year," Deputy Consul General of Ireland in Shanghai, Aileen Murray, said in an interview with eastday.com ahead of the Spring Festival.

The year of 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and the 40 years of diplomatic relations between China and Ireland. Ms. Murray, who was in Chinese red and wore a badge with the two national flags, talked about the impressive stories of the Sino-Irish exchanges over the past 40 years.

“我们的圣帕特里克节如今已成为上海文化日历中一项大型庆典;而在爱尔兰,中国的春节也越来越流行,今年2月,都柏林将举办盛大活动庆祝中国新年。” 2019年是中华人民共和国成立70周年,也是中国与爱尔兰建交40周年。新春前夕,爱尔兰驻上海副总领事莫爱玲(Aileen Murray)着一身中国红,佩戴中爱国旗徽章,接受东方网记者采访。进口博览会、直航、友城、踢踏舞……一系列关键词串联起中爱交往40年来的高光时刻。

Deputy Consul General of Ireland in Shanghai, Aileen Murray (Photo by Eastday)

爱尔兰驻上海副总领事莫爱玲(图片来源:东方网)

Bilateral trade reaches record high with big deal inked at CIIE

双边贸易创新高 进博会上签大单

Ms. Murray started with the trade area when looking back at the exchange achievements. "In 2017, we had over 16 billion euros in two-way trade between Ireland and China, reaching a new record high. Ireland is one of the few EU countries having a trade surplus with China. Many Irish companies are upgrading here very successfully, especially in the food, beverage and dairy industries."

回顾40年来中爱交往成果,莫爱玲女士首先谈到的就是贸易。“2017年,中爱双边贸易额达到了160亿欧元,创历史新高。爱尔兰也是欧盟国家中为数不多的与中国实现贸易顺差的国家之一。很多爱尔兰企业在中国发展得很成功,特别是在食品、饮料、乳制品行业。”

According to historic data, the volume of two-way trade was only 5.15 million US dollars at the beginning of the diplomatic relations in 1979, and reached over one hundred times that level, 5.5 billion euros, in 2008. That number had almost trebled by 2017, at which point China had already been Ireland's largest Asian trading partner for several years.

据了解,1979年中爱建交时,双边贸易额仅为515万美元,2008年增至55亿欧元,2017年的数字几乎是10年前的三倍。中国已成为爱尔兰在亚洲最大的贸易伙伴。

China's investment in Ireland has also been growing rapidly in recent years, said Ms. Murray, noting that an increasing number of enterprises from China have chosen Ireland as one of their European bases, including banks like Bank of China (BOC) and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), technology companies like Tencent as well as pharmaceutical companies like Wuxi Biologics. BOC opened its Dublin branch on June 28, 2017, becoming the first full branch of a Chinese bank in Ireland.

莫爱玲女士说,近年来,越来越多的中国企业选择到爱尔兰投资,并取得了快速发展,如中国银行、工商银行、腾讯、药明生物等。2017年6月28日,中国银行都柏林分行开业,成为第一家入驻爱尔兰的中资银行。

Irish Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys at the first CIIE (Photo source: Irish Consulate General in Shanghai)

商业、企业和创新部部长汉弗里斯在首届进口博览会上(图片来源:爱尔兰驻上海总领事馆)

"It was a busy and important time." That was how the deputy consul general described the first China International Import Expo (CIIE).

Last November, two Irish ministers led a number of delegations traveling to Shanghai for the event. They were, Irish Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, and Irish Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle. They took part in the activities and visited the booths of Irish exhibitors.

提到首届中国国际进口博览会,这位副总领事形容那是“繁忙而又重要的时光”。去年11月,两位爱尔兰部长——商业、企业和创新部部长汉弗里斯(Heather Humphreys)和农业部国务部长安德鲁·多伊尔(Andrew Doyle)分别率团亲临现场,参加各项活动并参观爱尔兰企业展台。

"The CIIE is a very clear signal that China's willing to pursue further opening up to the world. This is a very welcome message for us", Ms. Murray stated, noting that Irish people can learn of more opportunities in the Chinese market through that and present what they have to offer.

“进口博览会传达了中国进一步对外开放的清晰信号,我们对此非常欢迎”,莫爱玲女士说,爱尔兰能从中看到更多合作机遇,并呈现自身优势。

Booths of Irish exhibitors at the first CIIE (Photo source: Irish Consulate General in Shanghai)

首届进口博览会上的爱尔兰展台(图片来源:爱尔兰驻上海总领事馆)

Notably, during the expo, Wyeth Nutrition (China) signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation with the Irish Food Board on imports from Ireland, with a goal to promote trade exchanges in agriculture, food and the dairy industry between China and Ireland.

值得一提的是,展会期间,爱尔兰食品局与惠氏营养品签署了战略合作备忘录,以促进爱尔兰和中国之间的农业、食品及乳业贸易往来。

People-to-people exchanges warm and strong

人文交流暖心意 教育、旅游、文化艺术全面开花

Over the past 40 years, people-to-people exchanges between China and Ireland have been warm and strong, covering a wide range of areas including education, tourism and culture.

In Ms. Murray's view, one of the big milestones was the twinning of Shanghai and Cork. "It is our first pair of twinned cities with China and also one of the most successful. The two local governments are so well engaged. They are working together on a number of projects across industries."

中爱建交40年来,人文交流温暖而强劲。莫爱玲女士说,2005年,上海与爱尔兰第二大城市科克结为友好城市就是其中一个里程碑。“这是我们之间第一对友城,也是最成功的友城之一。两地政府对接十分密切,在各领域开展了许多合作项目。”

One of the best examples is the "Shamrock Cup" English-speaking competition for Shanghai high school students, said Ms. Murray, detailing that every year they go to a different district of Shanghai - last year in Yangpu and Pudong the year before. Students demonstrate their English skills by presenting on a choice of topics related to Ireland. The winner will be awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to Ireland. (The Shamrock is Ireland's national flower and a registered trademark of the country.)

“三叶草”杯上海高中生演讲比赛是双方互动中一个很好的例子。莫爱玲女士说,每年,他们都会去上海不同的区,去年在杨浦,前年在浦东。学生们从与爱尔兰相关的8个话题中选择一个,并用英语进行表演展示,赢得免费前往爱尔兰游学的机会。(注:三叶草是爱尔兰的国花和标志。)

The "Shamrock Cup" English-speaking competition for Shanghai high school students was held in Yangpu District in 2018. (Photo source: Irish Consulate General in Shanghai)

2018年,“三叶草”杯上海高中生演讲比赛在杨浦区举行(图片来源:爱尔兰驻上海总领事馆)

"We are very proud of the many Chinese students who come to study in Ireland each year, and who stay in touch with us after they return to China." Due to the increase in exchange of students between Ireland and China, Ms. Murray noted that many of the Irish universities and institutes of technology have presences and partnerships here in China.

“令我们非常自豪的是,很多在爱尔兰留学的中国学生回国后依然与我们保持联系”,莫爱玲女士表示,现在也有越来越多的爱尔兰学生来中国学习,不少爱尔兰大学和科研院所在中国投入力量,与本地机构开展合作。

It is worth mentioning that according to the Irish government's Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026, the Chinese language will be taught at the Leaving Certificate level (equivalent to the National University Entrance Examination in China) from 2020 and examined in 2022.

而根据爱尔兰政府2017-2026外语教学战略,从2020年起,爱尔兰的高中生可以选修汉语,2022年高考中可选考汉语。

2018年6月12日,北京-都柏林直航开通(图片来源:爱尔兰驻华大使馆微信公众号)

Hainan Airlines opened Beijing – Dublin flight on June 12, 2018. (Photo source: Wechat platform of the Irish Embassy in China)

Another great piece of news is the launching of non-stop flights to Ireland. Hong Kong – Dublin flights by Cathay Pacific, and Beijing – Dublin ones by Hainan Airlines, successively opened last June. In addition to this, Hainan Airlines will launch a second direct flight linking Shenzhen and Dublin on February 25, 2019.

The deputy consul general stated that the direct flights will further raise the already greatly increasing tourist numbers and estimated that Ireland will have 125,000 Chinese tourists in 2025.

另一个促进两地人文交流的好消息是直航的开通。2018年6月,国泰航空开通香港-都柏林直航,海南航空开通北京-都柏林直航。此外,2019年2月25日,海航将开通从深圳直飞都柏林的航班。副总领事说,直航将促进游客数量的继续增长,预计2025年赴爱尔兰的中国游客将达到125000人。

For romantic and poetic Irish people, its cultural exchanges in Shanghai have been really rapidly developing. At the very beginning of 2019, "Heartbeat of Home" toured in Shanghai, as the second step in the journey that started with "Riverdance".

Ms. Murray calls the show a mix of different dance styles since it demonstrates the traditional Irish music and dance (as seen in Riverdance), and combines flamenco, salsa, street dance and even China's big-drum dance. A piece of Chinese music "the sea, my sweet home" was also played in the show, which resonated with the audience.

在文化艺术领域,诗意浪漫的爱尔兰人更是当仁不让。2019年伊始,动感十足的《大河之舞2-舞起狂澜》就登陆上海。莫爱玲女士称其为多种舞蹈的融合,因为演出不仅包含传统的爱尔兰踢踏舞,还融入了西班牙弗拉门戈、拉美莎莎舞、美国街舞以及中国大鼓舞。现场还演奏了中国观众耳熟能详的歌曲《大海啊故乡》,引起了很多人的共鸣。

"Heartbeat of Home" (Photo source: Irish Consulate General in Shanghai)

《大河之舞2-舞起狂澜》演出照(图片来源:爱尔兰驻上海总领事馆)

March 17 is Ireland's National Day, also known as St. Patrick's Day, when Irish people around the globe wear something green (the traditional color of Ireland) to join in the celebration. The same is true in Shanghai.

In particular, at the invitation of the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC), a young music and dance group from Western Ireland "Cnoc na Gaoithe" have come to Shanghai to share traditional Irish arts for three successive years since 2016. They left footprints in many places including the Metro Music Salon of the People's Square Station, Waitanyuan cultural space in Huangpu District and the cultural center of Ruijiner Road Sub-District.

每年3月17日是爱尔兰国庆日,也称圣帕特里克节,全球爱尔兰人都会穿上绿色的服饰加入欢庆盛典,在上海也不例外。其中,应上海市人民对外友好协会邀请,一支来自爱尔兰西部的年轻乐队,山风乐队(Cnoc na Gaoithe),自2016年起连续三年来沪献演。人民广场地铁音乐角、黄浦外滩源、瑞金二路社区文化活动中心等都留下了他们的翡翠魔音与酷炫舞步。

St. Patrick's Day in Shanghai in 2017 (Photo by Eastday)

2017年在上海举办的圣帕特里克节活动(图片来源:东方网)

In addition, Bloomsday, a festival celebrating the Irish writer James Joyce has been celebrated in Shanghai for 14 years. Every June 16, the Irish Consulate General, writers and literary fans from Ireland and Shanghai join together to spend a retro and elegant day.

此外,纪念爱尔兰文学家詹姆斯·乔伊斯的节日——布鲁姆日已连续14年在沪庆祝。每年6月16日,来自上海及爱尔兰的作家、艺术家以及文学爱好者集聚一堂,度过复古而优雅的一天。

Kids taking part in the Bloomsday events (Photo by Eastday)

小朋友也来参加上海布鲁姆日活动(图片来源:东方网)

Opening up positive for both countries

对外开放对中爱两国都积极有益

China and Ireland established diplomatic ties in 1979, nearly at the same time as the starting of China's reform and opening up policy. The deputy consul general views that for Irish people, the concept of opening up is a very positive one, as their own economic liberalization led to Ireland moving to a comparatively rich one.

In 1973, Ireland became a member of the European Economic Community and a member country of the European Union when the European Economic Community was incorporated into the EU in 1993. Ireland experienced the very rapid opening up to the EU market and then further to the global market. That had a massive transformative effect to the Irish economy. So China's opening up is very much in line with what Ireland has experienced, she said.

1979年,中爱两国建交,几乎同步于中国改革开放的开端。副总领事表示,改革开放对爱尔兰人来说是一个非常积极的概念。爱尔兰与中国是非常不同的国家,但有很多相似的经历,对外开放正是其中之一。1993年,欧洲共同体被纳入欧盟,爱尔兰随之成为欧盟一员,经历了从向欧盟市场快速开放到进一步向全球市场开放,爱尔兰经济也由此取得了变革性的巨大发展。

"China is good at finding mutually beneficial relationships and taking the time to build them sustainably. This is something we admire," said Ms. Murray, adding that innovation is one of the areas that Ireland and China have both focused on in recent years.

“中国善于发现互利共赢的伙伴关系并花时间可持续地将它建设好。这是我们很欣赏中国的地方”,莫爱玲女士说。此外,她补充道,创新是近年来中国和爱尔兰共同聚焦的领域之一。

In 2012, the then Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping visited Ireland and in 2014, Irish President Michael D Higgins visited China. The high-level visits laid a firm foundation for the subsequent development of the relationship between the two countries.

2012年,时任国家副主席习近平访问爱尔兰,2014年,爱尔兰总统迈克尔·希金斯访问中国。中爱两国高层互访为之后双方关系进一步发展打下了良好的基础。

Ireland's second largest city, Cork (Photo source: Irish Consulate General in Shanghai)

爱尔兰第二大城市科克(图片来源:爱尔兰驻上海总领事馆)

The Consulate General of Ireland in Shanghai was set up in 2000. Ms. Murray said what they call Team Ireland have offices in Shanghai: including IDA Ireland dealing with Investment; Enterprise Ireland; the Food Board (Bord Bia); and Tourism Ireland.

They have a solid foundation and sustainable partnerships here, which is very import to maintaining and strengthening the relationship between the two countries, she added.

在上海方面,爱尔兰驻沪总领事馆成立于2000年。莫爱玲女士介绍说,爱尔兰的中国团队在上海都设有办事处,比如爱尔兰投资发展局、贸易与科技局、食品局以及旅游局。他们在这里有扎实持久的伙伴基础,对推动今后更强劲的中爱关系至关重要。

Ms. Murray will stay in Shanghai for the Chinese New Year. "I will cycle around to enjoy quiet roads as I explore the city." She extended her best wishes for the year of the Pig, "to see a continuing growth and development of our warm and close relationship."

这个春节,莫爱玲女士将在上海度过,“我会好好享受节日里宁静的街道,骑自行车到处逛一逛”。她向大家表达猪年新春祝福,“期待看到中爱两国间亲密温暖的友情持续发展”。

Story by Wang Jiaye
Video by Xu Yiran

Share

Consul Generals' New Year Greetings

Executive producers: Zhao Xiaolei, Cao Jun

Reporters: Wang Jiaye, Wu Qiong, Zheng Qian, Lu Yukun, Xu Yiran

Designers: Wei Zhengdian, Jin Kunyao