On January 21, Irish President Catherine Connolly hosted a New Year’s Reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Áras an Uachtaráin. Ambassador Zhao Xiyuan and his wife Li Yi attended the event at the invitation of the President. Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, was also present.

In her remarks, President Connolly extended New Year greetings to the diplomatic corps, noting that the world is marked by uncertainty and rising tensions, making deeper international cooperation more essential than ever. She emphasized that the UN Charter remains the cornerstone of modern multilateralism, and reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to peace and cooperation based on international justice.

Ambassador Zhao conveyed President Xi Jinping’s warm greetings to President Connolly. He stated that China is ready to work with Ireland, guided by the important consensus reached between the leaders of both countries, to deepen cooperation across various fields and promote the sound and steady development of the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries.