China's fastest-growing province is seeking Irish companies and colleges to work with their counterparts in the region on developing joint business and research and development opportunities.
Speaking in Dublin yesterday, Liang Baohua, governor of Jian Su province in China, invited Irish businesses and third-level institutions to collaborate with companies and universities in the region on technological and research projects.
The total amount of wealth created in Jiang Su last year came to €182.7 billion, 10 per cent of China's total output. It's one of the country's leaders in IT, software and biotechnology. "We should combine our resources for combined advantage," Mr Baohua said. He was speaking at a trade conference on industry collaboration between the Republic and Jiang Su at the Berkeley Court Hotel in Dublin yesterday.
Mr Baohua said that he hoped the conference, attended by a mixture of Irish and Chinese business people and students, would help to provide a platform for future collaboration. The governor is on a state visit to the Republic and yesterday met Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin, and was also due to meet Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern.
He said he was particularly impressed with the emphasis placed on education in the Republic and with the level of collaboration between universities, colleges and industries.
"At today's meeting with the minister we agreed that one of the most important aspect's of Ireland's economic development was the great emphasis you placed on education," he said.
"We were particularly interested in the way that universities and colleges have developed close links with the technology industry."
Jiang Su province is working on developing similar links between its third-level institutions and industries. The region has 150 universities and colleges, which are attended by 1.24 million students.
China is the world's fastest growing economy. The current government has led a number of trade missions there. Enterprise Ireland is bringing a number of companies there next week.
