Chinese Minister Bi Jingquan, who has responsibility for the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), joined Coveney on Monday morning to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) setting out future co-operation between both countries in the area of food safety.

“This MOU signifies that our agri-food partnership with China is about much more than trade and includes exchanges of ideas and knowledge on areas of mutual interest,” Minister Coveney said in a statement. “I was delighted to formalise this relationship between my Department and CFDA this morning and am certain that both organisations will gain substantially from the cooperation. In many ways it mirrors the many partnerships between leading Irish and Chinese agri-food companies and together marks the basis for a sustainable and long-term strategic relationship between both countries.”

The Chinese delegation, which includes a number of important milk buyers and retailers, also took part in a food safety forum on the dairy and infant formula sectors at the Department of Agriculture’s complex in Backweston, Co Kildare.

Minister Coveney highlighted that Ireland’s agri-food exports to China have grown by more than 270% to €620m in five years, with this year’s dairy exports alone up 25% on last year. “This is testament to the strong resonance which the reliability and quality of our products have with Chinese consumers,” he said.

Following a visit to a dairy farm in Co Wicklow on Sunday and a dinner with dairy processors that evening, Minister Bi is due to tour the Danone baby food plant in Co Wexford and Kerry Group’s technology and innovation centre in Naas, Co Kildare. Meanwhile, Bord Bia will host a parallel seminar on Irish dairy production for the Chinese business delegation.