Full coverage: China

The weight of Chinese demand on Ireland’s agri-food exports and the markets they serve comes out stronger than ever in the latest Teagasc outlook – but a no-deal Brexit is by no means out of the way.

The ongoing price crisis in the beef sector has highlighted the need for alternative export markets. Beijing-based Ian Lahiffe warns against the expectation that growing Chinese imports alone will save the day.

Irish food exporters have entered China as commodity suppliers. They could achieve a lot more by engaging with the growing cohort of sophisticated Chinese consumers, writes Beijing-based Ian Lahiffe.

In his first report from China, ag-tech executive Ian Lahiffe writes that many find a comfort to the sacrifices being made in civil liberties for the ‘greater good’ and the era of surveillance had only made that proposition stronger.

How did an obscure company in Dublin 4 become part of a global asset hunt? And what happens next? Confidential documents, court judgements, affidavits and international filings reveal the real story behind the collapse of MP & Silva, and the role of Ireland in its operations.

Ireland is experiencing a set of complex, highly unpredictable effects from the ongoing trade wars and deeper rebalancing of trade policies is urgently required.