Council decline request from Chinese delegations

Requests from Chinese delegations to facilitate official visits to Westmeath will only be accommodate those from the Hubei Province. Westmeath County Council recently received requests from Chinese delegations from Shijiazhuang and Shandong Province in China to visit the county in May, June or July of this year.

The Chief Executive advised members that such requests are received from time to time, but the local authority “ is not in a position to facilitate such requests”.

The councillors were told Westmeath County Council signed a co-operation agreement with Hubei Province of the People’s Republic of China in 2015.

In his statement to the local authority members the Chief Executive proposed the same response to both above requests, and this was agreed by the CPG Members.

In response to a suggestion by the then Cathaoirleach, it was agreed that should a future request be forthcoming a delegation could be received from the Hubei Province.

In a statement to the Examiner on the protocol the council said: “Requests are received from time to time for potential visits by Chinese delegations to Westmeath County Council. As Westmeath County Council has signed a cooperation agreement with Hubei Province of the People’s Republic of China in 2015, the Council is not in a position to facilitate such requests.”