Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar will be the star attraction when Chinese entrepreneurs and investors are invited to join him on an exclusive tour of the Great Wall later this month.
Numbers are limited to 15 and only business founders, board chairmen/women, presidents and principal shareholders or owners need apply to take part in the three-hour event on the morning of July 20th, at a cost of RMB10,000 (€1,286) each.
The price includes private, chauffeured transfers from Beijing, priority cable car boarding and access to the VIP section of the wall, as well as a networking lunch with the former taoiseach the following day. Participants will receive a “Great Wall Guardian” honorary certificate signed by Varadkar, a limited-edition commemorative brick and a custom gift bag.
The event is organised by the Enterprise Leadership Alliance Club, a private business, and the promotional material stresses that it has no connection with the Chinese or Irish authorities. But the group promises that Varadkar will draw on his “extensive networks in politics and business” to provide exclusive policy insights and facilitate introductions for Chinese investors to Irish businesses.
Varadkar is the latest in a series of former leaders to speak to the group this year, following Romania’s Victor Ponta, Bulgaria’s Rosen Plevneliev, Serbia’s Boris Tadić and Kyrgyzstan’s Djoomart Otorbaev. The group’s deputy secretary, Zhang Lixin, told The Irish Times that its events were intentionally exclusive and limited to a very select circle and that Varadkar would receive a substantial fee.
“Since he is flying in from Ireland and staying in China for seven to eight days, we cover all expenses including flights and accommodation. As for the fee paid directly to the guest, I haven’t calculated the exact figure as it involves several internal departments, but it generally runs into tens of thousands of US dollars,” he said.
Asked about the visit, Varadkar replied: “I’ll be travelling to China on a speaking tour organised for former prime ministers visiting six cities in 10 days. The honorarium is €17,500 before tax.
“I’ll be engaging with business and local leaders and will get to learn more about China, which I am very keen to do.
“I have not signed off on the final programme yet and have made no commitments to do anything for anybody on my return.”
In promotional material, the organisers say: “Attendees will engage directly with Mr Varadkar to anticipate EU economic trends, secure exclusive partnership referrals, and gain priority access to premium projects in technology, biopharma, and cross-border trade. Eliminate fragmented outreach – one event connects the entire journey from market research to operational launch.
“In expanding into Europe, first-mover advantage defines your strategic horizon. We cordially invite entrepreneurs to join this exclusive gathering. Leverage top-tier political and business resources to seize the Irish advantage – securing proprietary strategic assets spanning supply chains to compliance – and broaden your enterprise’s global growth trajectory through prudent, compliant internationalisation.”
In a post on the social media platform WeChat last month, the group described Ireland as a European “gold mine” for Chinese investors, noting the country’s robust growth in ecommerce and a high-consumption demographic.
“As a member of the European Union, Ireland enjoys seamless access to the EU single market and benefits from a strategic geographic position as a vital bridge connecting Europe and North America. Establishing a European headquarters in Ireland provides unparalleled dual-market coverage, radiating influence across both the EU and the UK,” it said.
“As the EU’s only English-speaking member state, Ireland serves as a golden springboard into the €500 billion European market. Its low corporate tax rates, coupled with mature clusters in technology, innovation, and manufacturing, create a sophisticated cross-border supply chain ecosystem.”