ARRIVING BACK in Beijing after covering the visit of Xi Jinping, it was startling to see the anointed leader of the world's fastest growing major economy kicking an O'Neill's football towards Hill 16 on the front of the Beijing News.
The main thrust of the coverage of the vice-president's Ireland visit in Chinese media, all of which are state-owned, focused on the economic, probably best summarised in the English-language China Daily'sheadline: "Vice president's Irish trip brings trade bonanza, greater co-operation".
The GAA photograph has captured the imagination in a big way, and the visit has been closely watched in general because people are curious to know more about the man who will take over the leadership of their country later this year.
They are particularly keen to know whether the Xi Jinping era will be a reform-minded one or another period of stasis on political development, and this was evidenced by the online comments about Mr Xi’s GAA exploits on Weibo, China’s version of the Twitter, which is banned here.
“Reform needs bravery. Playing football needs skill,” wrote one commentator. “I hope the vice president can be praised in the future when he manages the country,” wrote another.
One woman praised Mr Xi for his vigour, and people have welcomed the human dimension that was emphasised during the Ireland trip, which also included a visit to the US and Turkey.
The Croke Park image has added significance here because Mr Xi is on the record bemoaning the dire state of soccer in China, particularly as China was so good at other sports, and calling for rejuvenation of the domestic game. “China is determined to make its football go to the top level. But this might take a long time,” Mr Xi has said.
His football exploits were therefore popular online. “Yes! And kicking a football while wearing a suit, now that’s really impressive,” wrote one. “He should be the model for our football team.”
Xinhua news agency accompanied the photographs of Mr Xi kicking the ball and whacking a sliotar with a photo feature on global leaders who were also sport fans, including old footage of Fidel Castro playing ping-pong. Inside, Mr Xi is seen patting the heifer who bears his name at James Lynch’s farm in Clare. This, too, has struck a chord.
Generally, Chinese media coverage is full of talk about potential. Xinhua has Mr Xi calling for more efforts to tap Sino-Irish potential, explaining how expanding bilateral trade and economic co-operation “has brought substantial benefits to both people and deepened the friendship between China and Ireland”.
An analytical piece by China Daily'sZhang Haizhou and Cecily Liu quotes Kevin Lynch, chairman of the Ireland China Association, describing Ireland as the "Hong Kong of Europe" because of the way it offers access to Europe.
Mr Lynch goes on to talk of Ireland as the only English-speaking country in the euro zone, and one with a low corporate tax rate of 12.5 per cent.
Irish ambassador Declan Kelleher figures prominently on the China Dailywebsite giving an interview about the visit to its Big Talk section. Enterprise Ireland and the IDA are quoted extensively discussing the Chinese presence in Ireland and vice versa.
One comment carried by Xinhua gives an insight into the way China’s communist-run authoritarian government is also able to deal with ease with democracies.
“Xi noted that the development of a relationship between China and Ireland shows that divides on cultural tradition, territory difference and social system could not be barriers between bilateral friendly ties as long as both parties treat each other basing on the spirits of equality, mutual trust and mutual benefit,” according to the piece.
The report by Liu Xiuping, news anchor with state broadcaster CCTV, from Dublin Castle means hundreds of millions of people now know a little more about Ireland.