Ireland is willing to develop more extensive exchanges and cooperation with China, said Irish President Michael D. Higgins during a meeting with a delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) here on Thursday, APA reports quoting Xinhua. The delegation was led by Wang Gang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPC and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Higgins added that Ireland would continue work together with China to push forward bilateral relations. During the meeting, Wang said politically, China and Ireland enjoy mutual respect, equality and take care of each other’s major concerns, while economically the two countries draw on each other’s useful experiences and become \"good friends and good partners.\" He also said that China and Ireland have maintained close communications and coordination in international affairs which contributed to world peace and stability. The mutually beneficial strategic partnership forged in March this year has lifted the bilateral ties to a new high, Wang said, adding that China will work with Ireland to continuously enrich and expand the strategic cooperation so as to further develop their relationship and better benefit the two peoples. The CPC delegation arrived here on Wednesday for a friendly visit to Ireland, the last leg of its four-country tour. Prior to Ireland tour, the delegation visited Myanmar, Namibia and Jordan.