A new Irish Trade Board office in Shanghai, China, was officially opened last Friday by the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern. The Shanghai office marked a decisive stepping up of Ireland's export drive in China's fastest growing city and region, the Minister said, and reflected the importance and potential of the Chinese market for Irish companies.

The new office, which will have overall responsibility for the Chinese market, is managed by Mr Frank Mulligan (37), from Dublin, who has wide experience of the Chinese market.

In the past two years, Irish exports to China have risen by more than 40 per cent to £33.5 million, exclusive of aviation, training and other services exports.

The Minister added that there had been an intensification in marketing activities by Irish companies in China. There had been noteworthy success stories in the high-tech sectors critical to the modernisation of China's industry and infrastructure - telecommunications, software, instrumentation, electronics and engineering.

This new business, the Minister said, was solidly based with excellent growth prospects.

According to the Irish Trade Board's Asia director, Mr Paddy Delaney, a number of sectors are being targeted with the aim of achieving a 25 per cent increase in key exports.

He added: "As part of its economic modernisation programmes, China is encouraging significant foreign investment.