Under the invitation of All-China Women's Delegation, the Irish Country Women's Association delegation visited China from May 21st to 29th 2002.

　　All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) enjoys good relationship with Irish Country Women's Association (ICA) for years and there have been frequent friendly exchanges. In October 2001, Mme. Peng Peiyun, Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee and President of ACWF, led a women delegation and visited Ireland under the invitation of ICA. Friends and sisters of ICA warmly received them.

　　During the ICA delegation's visit in China, Mme. Peng Peiyun met with the delegation in the Great Hall of People, and Mme. Mo Wenxiu, Member of the Secretariat of ACWF talked with the delegation over a working meeting in ACWF.

　　The ICA delegation commented that China's economic development was surprising. Mme. Breda Raggett, delegation leader and National President of ICA, said, in her first visit to China six years ago, she didn't find any shopping facilities around the hotel they stayed; and now there were so many stores with many kinds of goods at cheap price, which showed that the living standard of Chinese people has been greatly improved. She also said that although she was in a foreign land, she felt very much at home.

　　The ICA delegation members thought that they have got a better understanding of China's policy on population control after visiting and talking with grassroots women in China. Chinese women are well aware of the population problems facing China and support China's family planning policy. It is the native people's support, instead of other people's opinions that is the key to judge whether the policy of a nation is right or wrong. Mme. Breda Raggett also said that although our two countries are in two different ends of the world and of different cultures, we felt close at heart and we share the same needs for women's development. ICA is willing to pass on the information on Chinese society and women to the western world, and tell the international community the true China through friendly contacts and exchanges.

Mme. Breda Raggett, the delegation leader, learns how to perform Peking opera
during the visit to Beijing Opera School.

Mme. Breda Raggett, the delegation leader, gets on well with
children in a visit to a community in Shanghai.

ICA delegation talk with participants of a training session on English in Shanghai.