An educational promotion event bringing together Irish and Chinese educational institutions is held in Beijing on January 6, 2026. Photo: Courtesy of Education in Ireland

The Chinese market offers tremendous opportunity for Irish businesses, and although competition is intense, it could help companies become stronger and more capable, Tadhg O'Callaghan, China Director, Enterprise Ireland, who is also the Commercial Counselor, said in an interview with the Global Times.

The remarks were made during an educational cooperation event held in Beijing on Tuesday, during which more than a dozen Irish higher education institutions signed or announced new and expanded partnership projects with Chinese counterparts, highlighting the latest progress in higher-education collaboration between China and Ireland.

As the director of Enterprise Ireland, an Irish government agency responsible for the development and promotion of Irish business overseas, O'Callaghan has good expectations for Irish businesses, including those from the educational industry, coming to China for building partnerships and future development.

China is often described as a "gym" - companies must be in good shape to enter, and the market then makes them even stronger, said O'Callaghan, noting that competition is intense, but that intensity pushes companies including those from Ireland to become more efficient and capable.

Tadhg O'Callaghan, China Director, Enterprise Ireland Photo: Courtesy of Tadhg O'Callaghan

Part of O'Callaghan's role involves promoting educational cooperation between Irish and Chinese institutions, a rapidly growing sector in which he sees strong potential. "Today's event, in particular, demonstrates how effectively Irish universities and Enterprise Ireland have fostered partnerships with China, especially with Chinese universities and local partners... It is also a way to show that we are a committed partner and that we take the Chinese market seriously," said O'Callaghan.

The Irish commercial counselor said that he was particularly impressed by China's technology advancements, including artificial intelligence and robots, booming market sectors that he said show high complementarity between the two countries.

"China's technological advancement has been remarkable, which is the result of decades of sustained investment and hard work... Ireland has many years of experience in high-tech and advanced manufacturing, life sciences, semiconductors and related fields. We believe this expertise can be complementary to China's continued development," he said.

China and Ireland have long maintained a mutually beneficial economic and trade relationship, with China being Ireland's largest trading partner in Asia, according to a report published on the official website of China's Ministry of Commerce.

Currently, there are many notable Irish companies operating in China including Kerry Group in the food industry and PM Group in construction and life sciences. "These companies have grown steadily in China over the years. We would like to see more companies achieve similar success," O'Callaghan said.

To succeed in China, companies need to be committed, experienced and have a clear value proposition, he said, noting that "it takes time and patience, but we hope to see more 'Kerrys' emerge in the years ahead."

"There is tremendous opportunity here. If a company can succeed in China, it is often well-positioned to succeed in other markets as well," O'Callaghan said, noting that such experience is valuable in itself, and "it also helps companies build capabilities that can be applied globally. There is a great deal to learn from China."

Looking ahead, as this year marks the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), O'Callaghan said that he expects to see growth in consumer demand this year, with increased spending on areas such as travel, pet food and other consumer products. "These are sectors where we believe Irish companies can align well with market demand," he said.