Ireland seeks trade reset with China amid EU tensions
Beef access and dairy tariffs top talks in Beijing
6 January 2026
1 minute read
By: Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin was to hold in-depth trade talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday, aiming to strengthen strategic ties with the world's second-largest economy amid strained China-EU relations, reported Reuters.
The meeting is part of Martin's five-day trip, which would have "a significant economic dimension," according to a clip posted on his X account. Martin told media he would discuss issues such as beef exports and China’s new dairy tariffs, following Monday's summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"I discussed obviously the situation in terms of Irish beef exports into China, the tariff situation in respect of dairy products," Martin said, adding that Xi "undertook to engage with Chinese officials in respect of those specific issues."
Martin described his meeting with Xi as "warm and constructive", covering bilateral and EU-China ties.
"On a broader level, I think the President was keen that Europe and China would have a broader framework to govern trade into the future," he said.
Xi told Martin during their meeting that China and the EU should "bear the long-term picture in mind", state news agency Xinhua reported.
"Ireland will always be constructive on trading matters. We've always been in the school within the European Union that has favoured open trade," Martin said on Irish radio.
China-EU ties have been tense since the EU imposed levies on Chinese EV imports in 2024, prompting Chinese retaliation including tariffs on EU dairy products.
Beef and dairy goods
Ireland exports the bulk of its output from its beef and dairy industries, which are major employers in the country. It is among Europe's largest exporters of dairy, shipping about 6 billion euros ($7.04 billion) annually.
Irish beef exports to China have been suspended since 2024 after a mad cow disease case.
On a visit to China in November, Junior Minister for Agriculture Timmy Dooley said Dublin was making progress in persuading Beijing that Irish beef was safe but that there was "a way to go" to clear the resumption of exports.
Irish beef, which the country markets as a premium commodity in the UK and Europe, also faces competition from cheaper South American imports.
Last week, China also set import quotas and extra tariffs on beef imports from this year, hitting global suppliers.
Martin, the first Taoiseach to visit China since 2012, has recently downplayed Irish intelligence warnings portraying China as a "hostile state actor", preferring instead to adopt a long-term and strategic understanding of China.
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