On October 13, 2022, the 2nd meeting of China-Ireland Joint Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Cooperation was held online. Xu Jie, Deputy Director-General of Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, and Joseph Moore, Deputy Director-General of Innovation, Research and Development Policy of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) of Ireland co-chaired this meeting.

　　Deputy Director-General Xu Jie pointed out that the 2nd joint committee meeting is highly relevant as 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of China-Ireland strategic partnership for mutually-beneficial cooperation. Ireland is an important partner of China in S&T cooperation. Smooth progress has been made since the signing of intergovernmental agreement on scientific and technological cooperation in 2000. With the establishment of China-Ireland joint committee mechanism on STI cooperation in 2019, more results have been achieved in STI cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Deputy Director-General Xu Jie said that China, in the future, stands ready to step up STI cooperation with Ireland by aligning strategies and policies, facilitating joint projects, and promoting discussion and exchanges. Deputy Director-General Xu Jie also introduced China’s latest STI policies and plans.

　　Deputy Director-General Joseph Moore agreed with DDG Xu Jie‘s remarks on China-Ireland STI cooperation. He pointed out that since the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strengthening Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation was signed between China and Ireland in 2019, bilateral cooperation has witnessed significant progress. He expressed that Ireland is willing to strengthen S&T cooperation with China in the face of global challenges under both bilateral and China-EU cooperation frameworks. Deputy Director-General Joseph Moore also gave an introduction on ‘Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy’ published in May 2022.  

　　Representatives from both sides reviewed achievements and experiences gained from China-Ireland STI cooperation since the last meeting, and reached agreement on multiple fronts with regard to future cooperation directions and action plans. Other attendees of the Chinese side include Zhuang Jia, Deputy Director-General of China Science and Technology Exchange Center, Yin Wenxuan, Deputy Director-General of the Bureau of International Cooperation of the Natural Science Foundation of China, Counsellor Huang Junying of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Ireland, and Du Xiaomeng, Programme Manager of the Bureau of International Cooperation of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Irish delegates from DFHERIS of Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, and Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland also attended the meeting.