The Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Zhu Rongji, declined yesterday to commit his government to supporting Dublin's campaign to win a seat on the UN Security Council. But in talks with the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, he hinted strongly that Beijing would cast a critical vote for the Republic.
"He was positive about the role Ireland has played in international affairs," Ms Harney said after the 30-minute meeting in the Chinese government compound in Beijing.
Although the main purpose of her visit to China is to promote trade, the international lobbying effort mounted by the Government to obtain a seat for Ireland on the Security Council is reaching a climax, with the vote next month in New York, and the vote of every state is important.
Ireland, Italy and Norway are in competition for two seats in the secret ballot. Italy and Norway are both members of NATO, a factor that may help persuade China to come down in favour of Dublin, especially in the aftermath of the war over Kosovo during which US NATO aircraft bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. China maintained the bombing was deliberate, although the US said it was an accident.
Ms Harney said she told Mr Zhu that Ireland had not been on the Security Council for over 20 years, while its two rivals had both been members more recently. The seat is for two years.
Otherwise, the enigmatic Prime Minister briefed Ms Harney on a wide range of issues including China's economic reforms, the priority of developing the western provinces and entry to the World Trade Organisation.
Only two countries, Switzerland and Mexico, have yet to finalise agreements with Beijing on China's entry. Mr Zhu drolly told Ms Harney that no country would really want to be the last to hold out against China.
The Tanaiste said she raised human rights issues, pointing out that Ireland was strongly committed to the inviolability of human rights and freedom of religion and association, and was anxious to see China ratify the two UN rights covenants it has signed.
Mr Zhu told her the covenant on economic, cultural and social rights would be signed "soon" after consideration by the National People's Congress, China's rubber-stamp parliament, but Beijing was still not ready to submit the covenant on political and civil rights, which it signed more than a year ago, to the congress. He defended China's civil rights record, although he conceded there were shortcomings.
Mr Zhu said China was intent on looking at how such a small country as Ireland had the capacity to attract so much foreign investment and absorb it domestically.
On the fifth day of her tour of China, the Tanaiste travelled to Shanghai where today she is to open the first Irish consulate in China's second city. Last night she attended an official banquet hosted by the vice-mayor of Shanghai, Ms Zuo Huanchen.