From February 10th to 11th, 2020, Professor Wang Zhanpeng, director of BFSU’s British Studies Centre and Irish Studies Centre, visited Queen's University Belfast invited by the Irish Studies Institute at the University. During the visit, Prof. Wang gave a lecture on "Irish Studies in China" as part of "Irish Studies Seminars: Spring 2020”. The event was chaired by Peter Gray, professor of the history department and director of the Irish Studies Institute of Queen's University Belfast. More than 20 experts and scholars attended the event.

According to Professor Wang, the Irish Studies is emerging in China as an independent academic discipline, and has been much researched and discussed by China’s academia. The complexities of Brexit have undoubtedly imposed both tremendous challenges and opportunities to Ireland. They will leave lasting imprints on the formation of a more confident, open, globalized Irish national identity, particularly on the role Ireland plays in the changing world. This converges with China’s endeavor to reverse the rising tide of de-globalization and to enhance connections between countries around the world. Sino-Irish relations will play an increasingly important part in the Irish endeavour to build this new external aspect of its identity as well.

In this context, what Irish studies can offer for the future of Sino-Irish relations is becoming an essential question in its efforts to seek unique Chinese disciplinary characteristics. By researching into the complexities of Ireland’s history, politics, society and literature, Irish studies in China has surpassed the narrow disciplinary boundaries and developed its own methods. Brexit provides new empirical facts to promote interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary dialogues among literary studies, historical studies, and other disciplines such as politics, sociology and international relations, which has the potential to contribute to the emerging global Irish agenda.