|TOP|The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, departed for China Thursday to meet with the country’s church leaders and visit a number of its theological colleges.

Dr Neill, who is also patron of the Dublin University Far Eastern Mission, will meet the leaders as part of an ongoing programme to build stronger links between the Church of Ireland and the Church in China.

The Archbishop of Dublin will visit Shanghai and Hong Kong together with the Rev. Dr Alan McCormack and the Rev. Patrick Comerford, chair and secretary of the Dublin University Far Eastern Mission. He will also be accompanied by his wife, Mrs Betty Neill.

The DUFEM group will meet with leaders of the China Christian Council, the main representative of Chinese Protestant churches, in Shanghai and also visit the city’s YMCA branch, theological colleges and Holy Trinity Cathedral.

|AD|The party will then continue to Hong Kong where it is due to meet Irish-born Vatican representative, Monsignor Eugene Nugent, and the Greek Orthodox Archbishop, Metropolitan Nikitas Lulias.

They will also gather together with members of the Irish communities in both Shanghai and Hong Kong to mark St Patrick’s Day, which falls during their visit.

"In the past year, DUFEM has been able to open new opportunities for co-operating in China," the Revd Patrick Comerford said before leaving Dublin. "This is an important opportunity to build on those opportunities and to consolidate our new links with the Church in China."

It is believed that preparations are underway for the consecration of four new bishops by the China Christian Council.

He continued: “This visit comes as DUFEM is expanding its programme for student exchanges between Ireland China, and as a goodwill visit to both the Church in China and to the Anglican Church in Hong Kong ahead of the consecration of a new bishop.”

Rev. Comerford added: “This is a crucial time to develop goodwill and fellowship between the Church of Ireland and the Church in China.

He said that DFEM is currently exploring new approaches on how to better serve the pastoral needs of the Chinese Christian community living in Ireland.

Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is expected to visit China in October this year.