Micheál Martin, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Ireland, visited Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) on Nov 8.

Wang Dinghua, secretary of the CPC BFSU committee, gives a welcome address. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

In his welcome address, Wang Dinghua, secretary of the CPC BFSU committee, expressed warm greetings to the deputy prime minister. Wang highlighted BFSU's role as a leader in foreign language education and country and area studies in China, as well as its reputation as the "cradle of diplomats". 

Wang made special mention of BFSU's longstanding commitment to Irish studies, emphasizing the significant achievements the university had made in the teaching and research of Irish literature, history, culture, politics, economics and international relations since the establishment of its Centre for Irish Studies in 2007. He also thanked the Irish government and universities for supporting BFSU's Irish studies. 

Wang encouraged faculty members and students at BFSU to continue enhancing their professional capabilities and contributing to global peace, development, cultural exchanges and mutual learning.

Micheál Martin, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Ireland, delivers a speech. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

In his speech, Martin commended the strong diplomatic, cultural and linguistic research reputation of BFSU, referring to it as a first-class university in these domains. He also expressed his pleasure in knowing that Irish is one of the 101 languages taught at the university. 

Martin praised the efforts of BFSU's Centre for Irish Studies in promoting Irish culture and research, highlighting the 2022 Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad received by Professors Wang Zhanpeng and Chen Li. 

The deputy prime minister pledged further cooperation between China and Ireland in areas such as global governance, economic collaboration and cultural exchanges.

Micheál Martin (C), deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Ireland, engages in a conversation with Wang Zhanpeng (R), vice-dean of the School of English and International Studies and deputy director of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at BFSU, and Chen Li (L), director of the Centre for Irish Studies. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn] 

Micheál Martin, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Ireland, discusses Sino-Irish educational exchanges and cooperation, tourism and Ireland's role in global climate governance with BFSUers. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Chinese Irish music enthusiasts give a musical performance. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Teachers and students from BFSU's Irish language program recite Irish poet William Butler Yeats's famous poem "When You Are Old" in Chinese, English and Irish. Micheál Martin, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Ireland, joins in the Irish language recitation. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Wang Dinghua (R), secretary of the CPC BFSU committee, presents Micheál Martin (L), deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Ireland, with a calligraphy work that reads “Sino-Irish Friendship Forever” and a photo of Martin's first visit to BFSU in 2010. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Micheál Martin (2nd, L), deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Ireland, presents Wang Dinghua (2nd, R), secretary of the CPC BFSU committee, Wang Zhanpeng (1st, R), vice-dean of the School of English and International Studies and deputy director of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at BFSU, and Chen Li (1st, L), director of the Centre for Irish Studies, with commemorative books. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

Micheál Martin, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Ireland, visits the Centre for Irish Studies at BFSU’s School of English and International Studies and engages in a dialogue meeting with faculty members at the centre and students majoring in Irish. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]