Messages exchanged to celebrate Sino-Irish ties

President Xi Jinping exchanged greetings on Saturday with his Irish counterpart Michael D. Higgins on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations.

Over the past four decades, the two countries have been adhering to the spirit of mutual respect, treating each other on an equal footing and striving for mutual benefit as well as pushing forward healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, Xi said in a congratulatory message. And they have had fruitful achievements in exchanges and cooperation in various fields, he added.

President Higgins paid a state visit to China in 2014 and the two heads of state conducted in-depth and friendly exchanges and mapped out a blueprint for China-Ireland relations, Xi said.