We are pleased to publish the below report by Gearóid Ó Machail, a leading member of the Communist Party of Ireland (CPI) and a member of the Friends of Socialist China advisory group.
A delegation from the Communist Party of Ireland (CPI) met with a seven-member delegation from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS) in Dublin in late October. The meeting provided an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of views on Sino-Irish relations, cooperation between communist and socialist organisations, and the political challenges facing the communist movement in Ireland and Europe.
The meeting was hosted by the Communist Party of Ireland and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland also attended.
The CASS/UCASS delegation was visiting Ireland as part of a programme of academic engagement, having met academics and senior university representatives at University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin earlier in the day.
Representing the Communist Party of Ireland were the Assistant General Secretary, National Chairperson, a member of the International Department and a representative of the Dublin Branch.
The discussion opened with introductory remarks from Professor Zhao Rui, Vice President of CASS and President of the World Association for China Studies (WACS). Professor Feng Shizheng and Professor Zhao Jianglin subsequently raised questions concerning the CPI’s activities and its international engagement, with particular interest in the party’s relations with China and the prospects for developing closer links between Irish and Chinese communists.
The Chinese delegation also sought the CPI’s assessment of the future of relations between Ireland and China and explored how both sides could contribute to strengthening mutual understanding and cooperation. More broadly, the discussion addressed the challenges confronting communist parties in Europe, including the tendency of some parties to move towards social democracy and abandon Marxism-Leninism.
The CPI delegation outlined its work across a range of areas of Irish political and social life, including the trade union movement, academia, education and community engagement. The Irish representatives also discussed the political and ideological obstacles confronting the party, drawing attention to the Irish government’s official approach, media bias, and the persistence of anti-communist and anti-Chinese sentiment.
These exchanges provided an opportunity to discuss the conditions under which communist politics develops in Ireland, as well as the importance of maintaining international links and building solidarity in the face of prevailing political and media narratives.
In his concluding remarks, Professor Zhao Rui reaffirmed the commitment of CASS and UCASS, alongside the Communist Party of China (CPC), to developing cooperation with Irish comrades. He commended the efforts of the CPI and invited the Irish delegation to attend the World Socialist Forum in November.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of gifts, reflecting the spirit of friendship and mutual respect in which the discussions had taken place.
The visit represented a further opportunity to strengthen dialogue between Irish and Chinese representatives and to explore the possibilities for closer academic, political and party-to-party exchanges.
