On 22 September, the Chinese Embassy in Ireland hosted a reception marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
In an article published in the October edition of Socialist Voice, the newspaper of the Communist Party of Ireland (CPI), Gearóid Ó Machail reports on the party’s participation in the event, alongside more than 400 guests, and adds:
“The CPI’s engagement with the People’s Republic of China extends well beyond the annual National Day celebrations. In early October, the Party will co-sponsor and send a delegate to the Friends of Socialist China conference in London.”
Gearóid also writes: “Later in October, the CPI will host a high-level delegation from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) at our Party offices… For the Communist Party of Ireland, these engagements reflect our longstanding commitment to international solidarity and to the development of cordial relations between Irish and Chinese communists. The CPI has consistently supported the right of every nation to determine its own path of development, free from external interference, and stands in solidarity with the Chinese people in their remarkable progress in building socialism and modernisation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.”
The website of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland notes that among the more than 400 attendees at the reception were Minister of State Noel Grealish, Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Rossa Mulcahy, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, government officials, TDs and Senators, Lord Mayors and Cathaoirleachs, friends from various sectors, and diplomatic envoys to Ireland.
Ambassador Zhao Xiyuan vividly outlined the significant contributions of the Communist Party of China in advancing Chinese modernisation, promoting ethnic unity and progress, and advancing global governance. He emphasised China’s readiness to work with Ireland to foster the healthy and stable development of China-Ireland and China-EU relations, and to join hands in building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Minister of State Grealish shared his experiences from three visits to China, noting the close high-level exchanges and deep people-to-people friendship between China and Ireland, as well as the fruitful cooperation in areas such as the economy, agriculture, and education. He stressed the importance of further deepening practical cooperation between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the October edition of Socialist Voice also carried a letter from Graham Harrington addressing the question of relations between China and Cuba. Graham writes:
“Many seem to believe that China holds the silver bullet for helping the Cuban Revolution, struggling at the moment against the intense and vicious US blockade, and threats of military invasion. This is a simplistic criticism of Beijing that essentially amounts to wanting China to do a deus ex machina and break the blockade at one stroke. Reality is more complex.”
He further notes: “For China to directly break the US blockade in the way people are calling for… would also be directly provoking imperialism to respond by doing similar on China’s Taiwan, possibly causing war… China has indeed stepped up with meaningful political support for Cuba, beyond just rhetoric condemning the blockade, with efforts in transforming Cuba’s energy matrix away from oil, towards solar power, supply of spare parts for the necessary machinery and supply of needed food items.
“The Cuban Revolution and people are putting up a great struggle and need concrete political solidarity, not tokenistic gestures that would make leftists in the imperial core feel better about China. The emphasis should not be put on criticising China’s supposed lack of action, but instead on putting it up to the Irish government, and certain Irish opposition parties, who all claim to be against the blockade but say nothing to their friends in Washington about it, and take no meaningful political action on challenging the blockade.”
The following articles were originally published by Socialist Voice and on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland.
The CPI and China: Celebrating National Day and Deepening Internationalist Ties
Oct 4 (Socialist Voice) – On 22 September, the Chinese Embassy in Ireland hosted a reception marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Communist Party of Ireland was honoured to accept the invitation of His Excellency Mr. Zhao Xiyuan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Ireland, and his wife, Madame Li Yi, to join the celebrations.
More than 400 guests attended, reflecting the breadth and warmth of the relationship between Ireland and China. Among those present were the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces; government officials; TDs and Senators; Lord Mayors and Cathaoirligh; representatives of Irish civil society; and diplomatic envoys to Ireland.
HE Ambassador Zhao delivered the opening remarks, vividly outlining the significant contributions of the Communist Party of China in advancing Chinese modernisation, promoting ethnic unity and progress, and strengthening global governance. He emphasised China’s commitment to working with Ireland to foster the healthy and stable development of China–Ireland relations, and to joining hands in building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Guests enjoyed an exhibition themed on China’s ethnic unity, a Chinese buffet and wine reception and viewed videos showcasing the country’s charm, along with unique cultural performances from Ireland and China.
The CPI’s engagement with the People Republic of China extends well beyond the annual National Day celebrations. In early October, the Party will co-sponsor and send a delegate to the Friends of Socialist China conference in London. Organised by Friends of Socialist China with support from a range of progressive organisations—including the Morning Star, the Communist Party of Britain, the Workers Party of Britain, the Communist Party of Ireland, the Young Communist League of Britain, the International Manifesto Group, CODEPINK, No Cold War Britain, and many others—the conference will feature panels on resisting the new cold war and the threat of hot war, AI and the new quality productive forces, and the launch of a book on China’s foreign policy and the making of a multipolar world.
Confirmed speakers include Mick Wallace, Vijay Prashad, George Galloway, Jenny Clegg, Kate Hudson, Alex Gordon, Zhang Weiwei, John Ross, Radhika Desai, Roger McKenzie, Gearóid Ó Machail, and many more, alongside embassy speakers from China, Cuba, and Laos.
Later in October, the CPI will host a high-level delegation from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) at our Party offices. The delegation is led by Mr. Zhao Rui, Vice President of CASS and President of the World Association for China Studies (WACS). Mr. Zhao has long been dedicated to forging ties with friends of China and those who know China well. We believe the meeting with our Party’s International Committee will provide a valuable opportunity to exchange views on China–Ireland relations and other topics of mutual interest.
For the Communist Party of Ireland, these engagements reflect our longstanding commitment to international solidarity and to the development of cordial relations between Irish and Chinese communists. The CPI has consistently supported the right of every nation to determine its own path of development, free from external interference, and stands in solidarity with the Chinese people in their remarkable progress in building socialism and modernisation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
We extend our warmest congratulations to the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and look forward to continuing to build friendship and understanding between our two nations.
Chinese Embassy in Ireland Hosts Reception of Celebrating the 77th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China
Sep 23 (Chinese Embassy in Ireland) – On September 22, Chinese Embassy in Ireland hosts Reception of Celebrating the 77th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China. Chinese Ambassador Zhao Xiyuan and Minister of State Mr. Noel Grealish delivered remarks respectively. More than 400 people attended, including Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Rossa Mulcahy, Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, government officials, TDs and Senators, Lord Mayors and Cathaoirleachs, friends from various sectors, and diplomatic envoys to Ireland.
Ambassador Zhao vividly outlined the significant contributions of the Communist Party of China in advancing Chinese modernization, promoting ethnic unity and progress, and advancing global governance. Ambassador Zhao emphasized China’s readiness to work with Ireland to foster the healthy and stable development of China-Ireland and China-EU relations, and to join hands in building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Minister of State Grealish shared his experiences from three visits to China, noting the close high-level exchanges and deep people-to-people friendship between China and Ireland, as well as the fruitful cooperation in areas such as the economy, agriculture, and education. He expressed the importance of further deepening practical cooperation between the two countries.
Guests viewed an exhibition themed on China’s ethnic unity, videos showcasing China’s charm, and spectacular performances, while engaging in lively discussions around the topics of traveling, shopping, and investing in China.
Letter: China and Cuba
Oct 4 (Socialist Voice) – A chara,
Many seem to believe that China holds the silver bullet for helping the Cuban Revolution, struggling at the moment against the intense and vicious US blockade, and threats of military invasion. This is a simplistic criticism of Beijing that essentially amounts to wanting China to do a deus ex machina and break the blockade at one stroke. Reality is more complex.
After the 1959 Revolution, the Soviet Union was able to supply Cuba’s energy needs up to its dissolution in 1991, in a way China cannot replicate today. For one, the USSR was then one of the world’s largest energy suppliers. The PRC, however, has little indigenous reserves, and relies on imports from the Gulf, Russia and others. Additionally, it has to balance its supply distribution across a nation of 1.3 billion people. Despite China’s immense achievements in poverty eradication, it is still classed as a “developing country” with areas in its isolated interior in need of significant energy reserves to modernise and catch up with the rest of the more advanced coastal cities.
The US blockade on Cuba is a total and extra-territorial blockade. Chinese energy, shipping companies, insurance, financial etc. companies would be placed under American sanctions for going around the blockade, which would hurt China’s ability to use its economic growth to build its influence in the Global South. At this point in time, China’s leadership does not believe a direct confrontation with imperialism is desirable. The world is still at an early stage of multipolarity, with the BRICS taking slow, mostly incremental, steps towards building an alternative.
For China to directly break the US blockade in the way people are calling for, it would also be directly provoking imperialism to respond by doing similar on China’s Taiwan, possibly causing war. The US sees Cuba as within its sphere of influence and key to their strategy for Latin America. The ongoing offensive against Iran is also causing havoc on global energy supply, the submission of Venezuela and its critical oil supply, and the growing surge of right-wing governments in Latin America, are also important external factors in Cuba’s ongoing crisis, caused directly by imperialism.
Russia too, is kept away from more support, given the focus on its war effort, and the attacks by Ukraine on Russian energy sites.
China has indeed stepped up with meaningful political support for Cuba, beyond just rhetoric condemning the blockade, with efforts in transforming Cuba’s energy matrix away from oil, towards solar power, supply of spare parts for the necessary machinery and supply of needed food items.
The Cuban Revolution and people are putting up a great struggle and need concrete political solidarity, not tokenistic gestures that would make leftists in the imperial core feel better about China. The emphasis should not be put on criticising China’s supposed lack of action, but instead on putting it up to the Irish government, and certain Irish opposition parties, who all claim to be against the blockade but say nothing to their friends in Washington about it, and take no meaningful political action on challenging the blockade.
Graham Harrington
East Asia
