Tánaiste Micheál Martin has officially opened a new office housing the Irish Consulate-General and several state agencies in Shanghai.
Known as Ireland House, it is the first time that both the consulate and these state agencies are represented in the one building.
Shanghai, China's largest city, lies at the delta of the Yangtzte River, the country's main waterway, and home to the largest seaport in the world.
The development comes ahead of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Ireland next year.
Though former taoiseach Jack Lynch visited Shanghai in 1980, it was not until 2000 that Ireland established a consulate general in the city.
In the time since, Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland have established a presence in the city.
The city is also home to Irish companies from a broad range of sectors.
"It is clear that our business, political, cultural, educational and people to people links are strong and enduring," the Tánaiste said.
The opening of Ireland House in Shanghai, he said, would help create a dynamic future for the relationship between Ireland and China.
In a speech marking the opening of Ireland House, Mr Martin noted that he last visited Shanghai in 2010.
"The global context is much more complex since my last visit, but I am here in a spirit of constructive engagement, he said.
"This is critical in any bilateral relationship, both in relation to areas in which we agree and in areas where our views diverge."
Today is the final day of the Tánaiste's four-day visit to China. Earlier in the week, he met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, during which both the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East were discussed.
China has taken a cautious stance on the conflict since the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel, calling for peace and condemning violence.
Mr Martin told Mr Wang that Ireland is anxious to "maintain and strengthen" its economic relationship with China.
His comments come amid increased trade tensions between the EU and China.
The EU has decided to "de-risk" the trade relationship, hoping to become less reliant on China while still continuing to trade.
Separately, the Tánaiste called for "full transparency" from RTÉ in relation to a document relating to former presenter Ryan Tubridy, saying he did not understand the issue preventing it from being provided to an Oireachtas committee.
"My view is that there should be full transparency in these matters," he said.
In lieu of furnishing the full document to the Public Account Committee, RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst has offered an "extensive and detailed summary".
The document contains notes of a May 2020 meeting between Tubridy's agent, Noel Kelly, and former director general Dee Forbes.
The Tánaiste acknowleged, however, that there may be legal issues that he is not aware of.
"I'm not fully familiar with the legal advice, obviously, that RTÉ received in respect of this documentation," he said.
"But I don't see what the issue is in terms of preventing, first of all, the presentation of documentation to Public Accounts and, subsequently, its publication."
He said that "the fullest transparency possible should always be provided in situations of this kind".
