On the evening of January 16, 2024 local time, at the invitation of Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council arrived at Dublin International Airport by chartered plane, starting his official visit to Ireland.

Irish Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Chinese Ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong greeted Li at the airport.

Li Qiang said that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ireland. Over the past 45 years, China and Ireland have adhered to the principle of mutual respect and equality, setting a good example of friendly coexistence and win-win cooperation between countries with different histories, cultures and political systems. In recent years in particular, under the strategic guidance and joint promotion of the two heads of state, China-Ireland relations have maintained sound and stable development, and cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results. China and Ireland share similar development concepts and converging interests, and bilateral relations and cooperation enjoy broad prospects and huge potential. China is willing to work with Ireland to implement important common understandings reached between the two heads of state, push for new achievements in China-Ireland mutually beneficial strategic partnership, and continue to benefit the two countries and their people.

Li Qiang arrived in Dublin after attending the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024 and paying an official visit to Switzerland. When he left Switzerland, senior officials of the Swiss Federal Government, Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland Wang Shiting, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Other International Organizations in Switzerland Chen Xu and other officials saw him off at the airport.