Ireland wants to replace UK as China’s ‘trusted friend’ in Europe after Brexit, says Foreign Minister Simon Coveney
Irish government says it can help promote Belt and Road Initiative to other EU members as it seeks global opportunities to mitigate impact of Brexit
Ireland is ready to step into the gap created by Brexit, and wishes to replace Britain as China’s new “trusted friend” in promoting Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, the country’s foreign minister has said.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post Simon Coveney, who is also the country’s tánaiste or deputy prime minister, said the country was looking outwards for global trading opportunities to ease the impact of Brexit and to build a more global role for the small nation.
“When Ireland becomes the only English-speaking country in the European Union [after Brexit], I think Ireland has a responsibility to reach out to many countries that would have effectively used Britain as their vehicle to express opinions and concerns in relation to EU issues and EU policy and debates,” said Coveney.
But he also said the country of 4.5 million people hoped to look outwards for opportunities to ease the impact of Brexit and build a more global role for Ireland.
To ease the impact of Brexit, Ireland has been expanding its global reach by opening embassies and missions around the world including in Ukraine, Colombia, Chile, Canada, India and Jordan.