Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R)?meets with Irish president Michael Higgins in Beijing, Dec 10, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Premier Li Keqiang said China will learn from Ireland's investment in innovation and scientific technologies, after he met visiting Irish president Michael Higgins on Wednesday in Beijing.

Li said China is trying to nurture new driving forces of the economy by encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, and is willing to exchange experiences with Ireland transformed from an agro-pastoral economy to intellectual-driven economy in the 1980s.

"There is a long geographic distance between our two countries. However, there has been a long standing friendship between our two peoples," said Li. "This year marks the 35th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. I'm sure your visit to China will add a new boost to our China-Ireland relations."

Higgins said Ireland values its relationship with China "very much", and that the country has added a new focus to the relationship, focusing on science and technology.

There are already 2,400 Irish students in China and 2,700 Chinese students in the colleges and institutions in Ireland, Higgins said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Higgins witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the leading universities of China and Ireland on Tuesday after in Beijing.

China has been Ireland's largest trading partner in Asia for seven years. In the first 10 months of this year, Irish investment in China reached more than $400 million. Higgins arrived in Beijing on Sunday, kicking off the first visit by an Irish president to China in 11 years. The trip, scheduled to end on Dec 15, is Higgins' first to Asia since he became president in 2011.

Higgins will visit Shanghai on Thursday, where he will promote Irish food and tourism, and visit the former residence of Sun Yat-sen, The Irish Times reported.

On Friday, Higgins is expected to deliver a speech at Shanghai's Fudan University and witness the signing of agreements between the university and Trinity College in Dublin, before traveling to Zhejiang province to visit Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group in the province's capital, Hangzhou, the newspaper said.

zhaoyinan@chinadaily.com.cn