Sunday Test - Chinese whispers: officials fret over Higgins’ China trip
There is nervousness in government circles about the potential impact on Irish-Chinese relations if President Michael D Higgins decides to criticise China’s record on human rights during his state visit to the Asian country.
Higgins is likely to discuss China’s human rights record ‘in some guise’ during his state visit there which begins today, according to government sources.
The trip is heavily focused on trade. The Irish delegation includes Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan, as well as several senior executives from the IDA.
On previous state visits, President Higgins ...
