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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

President Xi Jinping’s visit to Ireland then China’s deep connection with the Shannon region

Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 at 08:38 AM

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Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping accepts a piece of bog oak from Shannon Development CEO Vincent Cunnane

One of the most unusual stories involving Ireland and China unfolded in the Shannon region recently.

On the afternoon of February 18. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, the future premier of China, spent several hours at the Shannon Development Zone paying homage to the region that inspired the Chinese economic miracle.

Yes, you read that right. The next leader of what many consider will be the most powerful superpower of all in this century made clear that the inspirational example of Shannon and its economic development
zone had been a major factor in the rise of China.

Shannon Development pioneered the set-aside economic zones, the creation of the first ever duty free and, not to be forgotten, the invention of Irish Coffee.

Last week in New York, Shannon Development CEO Vincent Cunnane recounted how the rural corner of Ireland became an inspiration to Communist China.

Back in the 1980s as China emerged from the dreadful excesses of the Mao era, leaders began searching the world for an economic model.

Deng Xiaoping, a huge reforming figure, sent Jiang Zemin (who was to become president from 1993 to 2002) and a team on a world tour to investigate new models of economic development.
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The Chinese landed in Shannon and were blown away by the duty free zone and how it worked. As Cunnane points out, the zone was a perfect example for the Chinese as they could not turn the entire country into an economic powerhouse overnight, but they could see how specially selected economic zones could work for them.

As Irish Times journalist Conor O’Clery noted, “The place that apparently impressed (the Chinese) the most was the Shannon industrial duty free zone. I’m told they were also very impressed with the informality of their Irish hosts, who took them to Durty Nellies pub afterwards for a sing-song – which may explain the warmth with which the Taoiseach (President) Bertie Ahern was greeted by President Jiang in Beijing in 1998.”

The Chinese government subsequently opened four special economic zones in 1980 on the Shannon model which were extremely successful in attracting foreign investment, stimulating trade and invigorating growth. There are now more than 9,000 such zones all over the country.

In the past 20 years, powerful Chinese leaders have come to Clare and studied Shannon Development.
They included President Jiang Zemin; Premier Zhu Rongji; Premier Wen Jiabao; Vice Premier Huang Ju and Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan.

Xi was just the latest in a group of leaders to undertake what has become a pilgrimage for Chinese leaders. Cunnane believes that China will now become a major player for Ireland’s economic recovery, and that Shannon will lead the way.

It is a believe it or not story, but one that now looks like it will have a happy ending.

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bunkerhill | Mar 12, 2012, 10:53 AM EDT

Meaning no offense to Ireland North which I think may mean Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom, I wonder at the problems in that part of Ireland and the occupation by England. Clearing people out of their homes in Southwest Scotland to make way for sheep grazing and confiscating Irish land while making the plantation people a privileged group constitutes abuse to me. England under the royals claimed oer half the world for themselves (benefitting only the royals) They even conducted an opium war with China. I am not condoning any group for civil rights abuse but I think in that regard the royals of England take the cake.

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IrelandNorth | Mar 12, 2012, 09:10 AM EDT

One celebrates the economic success of others. But looking at the world through cash register eyes avoids the inconvenient truth of China's appalling human rights abuse. Its illegal occupation and annexation of Tibet. Its environmental despoilation of its ecology. And is expulsion of its rightful government and spiritual leader. Sadly, Enda Kenny is likely to have sacrificed ethics and morality on the alter of economic expediency. It seems IC is ploughing a similar furrow.

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bunkerhill | Mar 09, 2012, 02:58 PM EST

What a wonderful and powerful story Niall, and I don't understand why anyone would respond negatively. My wife has a brother in finance with a very Irish name who was invited twice to Asia to confer with the Chinese. He couldn't make the second one due to a job commitment but he asked the first group why they had chosen him. The Chinese group answered because they had followed his work and "trusted" him. The Irish have always been kind to the Chinese and my brother-in-law considered that the ultimate compliment - trust. Did you know that twice as many people in this world speak Chinese as speak English? Did you know that the Chinese have the highest IQ's in the world, many over 200 and some too high to calculate? Given their huge population, I have no historical recollection of them ever attacking another nation as Japan did. Also Chinese-Americans are willing to work sixteen hours a day to get ahead. I just wish people would not respond so negatively to a population as a whole. Again great article.

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RedBranch | Mar 09, 2012, 12:55 PM EST

Sounds like he flies around the world getting free lunches.

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jamieLM | Mar 09, 2012, 10:06 AM EST

XI gets around. We traveled to Davenport, Iowa on the Mississippi River for a Riverdance performance. I read in the local paper how XI had just made a RETURN visit to the Dav. area where he was "wined and dined" by his Iowa "friends" and had discussed future economic opportunities with them. The Chinese don't do anything unless there's plenty in it for them.

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