Cork city council today defended its decision to twin with Shanghai after a councillor called for the deal to be rescinded.
Like many countries around the world, Ireland is improving diplomatic and trade links with China as its economy becomes more open, but Green Party councillor Chris O’Leary believes China’s human rights record makes its cities unsuitable for twinning.
"It is time that we seriously reconsider our relationship with the Chinese government on the grounds of its lack of commitment to reform and accountability on human rights."
He said the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern should register an official complaint about Chinese abuses which have been condemned by human rights groups.
Pat Ledwidge, director of community and enterprise of services at the Cork City Council said the twinning was in accordance with the Government’s Asia strategy, a large part of which is to develop links with China.
He said human rights issues were addressed at national and EU level whereas the council was tasked with developing city to city links and the twinning with Shanghai has received almost unanimous support from councillors.
"We see the opportunity to develop mutual understandings and we don’t believe that human rights will be improved by ignoring contact with the Shanghaiese," Mr Ledwidge.
Amnesty International has consistently expressed concern about corruption, the jailing of political dissidents, religious intolerance and the extensive use of execution.
However the human rights group does not advocate boycotting the Chinese and instead urges those developing links with the most populous country in the world to be "robust about defending human rights".
"People should go into this arrangement with their eyes open and not pretend everyting is wonderful," spokesman Jim Loughran told the Irish Examiner at the signing of sister city agreement on May 19th.
The agreement is aimed at building on the relationship between the cities which exists primarily in links between UCC and universities in China’s second city.
Belfast this week signed a twinning agreement between the Chinese city of Hefei. It is the capital of Anhui Province and has a population of 1.2 million.
It has been designated special economic zone by the Chinese government with an emphasis on the scientific, information technology sector.