China business conference taking place in cavan

A conference at which the Chinese Ambassador to Ireland and several of the regions industry chiefs are in attendance is taking place in Cavan this morning.

Organised by the Cavan Chamber of Commerce, The Ireland China Business Conference taking place in the The Hotel Kilmore from 9am-1pm is a major event for any local businesses currently doing business in China or exploring the possibilities of entering this market.

The event includes speakers both with practical experience of doing businesses with Chinese markets and those with the revelant information of how to broach the gap.

In attendance will be Minister of State at the Departments of Education and Skills and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Damien English, while keynote speakers at the event are the Chinese Ambassador to Ireland Mr Jianguo Xu, CEO Lakeland Dairies Michael Hanley, Head of China Programme A & L GoodbodyMarie O’Brien, Pride Watches Jason Reilly.

Figures show the total value of Irish exports to China in 2012 was €177bn. Merchandise exports to China were valued at €2.18bn while total imports from China were valued at around €3.1bn.

From the business and finance side of things, speakers include Head of Business Banking AIB Ken Burke, Market Advisor to China Enterprise Ireland Philip Singleton, Susan Barrett of Ireland China Business Association, Vincent Reynolds of the Local Enterprise Office.

In july of this year H.E. Ambassador Jianguo Xu met with Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys T.D., at his residence in Dublin.

In a friendly meeting, Ambassador Xu exchanged views with the Minister on China-Ireland relations, especially issues concerning cultural links and people-to-people exchanges.