Irish PM Micheal Martin visits China Jan. 4–8, 2026, for first top-level meeting in 14 years amid global trade and regional tensions.

Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin is set to visit China from January 4 to 8, 2026, marking the first trip by an Irish leader to the country in 14 years. The five-day visit includes meetings with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji, as well as a stop in Shanghai. China expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Ireland and supporting broader China-EU relations amid ongoing trade tensions, including EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and China’s retaliatory tariffs on EU dairy imports. The visit coincides with heightened regional tensions, including China’s military drills near Taiwan and rising Sino-Japanese tensions, while South Korea’s president is also scheduled to visit Beijing.