Northern Ireland Minister says there needs to be ‘balance’ in approach to trade with China

By Bairbre Holmes, PA

Northern Ireland’s Minister for the Economy has said there needs to be a “balance” between “economic opportunity” and “upholding our responsibilities and values” when it comes to trading with China.

Caoimhe Archibald is embarking on a five-day trip on Monday to build business and economic ties between Northern Ireland and the world’s second-largest economy.

The visit is billed as shining “a spotlight on the north’s strengths in education, trade, tourism and our screen industries”.

I think it's important that we engage, because there is a significant opportunity to grow our exports and to make those connections, and to have that opportunity to go out and do that face-to-face engagement

But with China’s human rights and environmental records frequently raising serious concerns, there are questions as to whether this is the right market to focus on.

Ms Archibald said she will use the trip to raise “issues of concern”, something she says she has done on previous visits.

She said despite these concerns there is an economic argument for building further ties with China, adding: “I think it’s important that we engage with China on the same basis that we approach all our international engagement, so advancing our economic interests, but upholding our values and responsibilities as well.”

The minister said her team is developing an “ethical investment framework” based on UN principles which will “guide all of our investment and trade relationships” and which will undergo a public consultation process.

The trip will include representatives from Invest NI, Tourism Ireland, NI Screen and local universities, and will involve events in Beijing, Shenyang, Dalian and Shanghai.

Ms Archibald said: “I think it’s important that we engage, because there is a significant opportunity to grow our exports and to make those connections, and to have that opportunity to go out and do that face-to-face engagement.”

Last year €1.43 million (£125 million) worth of goods were exported from Northern Ireland to China, a figure dwarfed by the €1.15 billion (£1 billion) worth of imports which came into the region from the country.

I think we do have to be aware also that there is economic opportunity to be garnered, and it is a case of getting the balance right in respect of that

Ms Archibald said some of the areas she is keen to grow to address this imbalance are the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, pointing to professional scientific instruments, chemicals and materials as important products.

But the trip comes amid a row over the fate of a proposed new Chinese embassy in London, which has stalled amid security concerns, renewing the focus on the country’s reach in the UK.

While the Economy Minister said she takes “matters of data security very seriously”, she returned once again to the theme of “balance”, saying: “I think we do have to be aware also that there is economic opportunity to be garnered, and it is a case of getting the balance right in respect of that.”

Other “priority sectors” for Ms Archibald are tourism and Northern Ireland’s screen industry, and on the trip she will deliver presentations to members of the Chinese tourism and screen industries.

In particular, she hopes to promote Studio Ulster, the 75,000 square foot facility on the shores of Belfast Lough, which opened during the summer, saying: “There are really significant opportunities to develop that and to promote that internationally.”

Last year around 186,000 people visited Ireland from Asia and Ms Archibald said she hopes to focus on promoting Ireland’s landscape and hospitality to draw in more tourists.

She added: “I think that we have a really strong offer there, and it’s about going out and selling that and promoting it.”