With the 2019 Spring Festival around the corner, we sat down with ambassadors and diplomats to talk about their understanding of Spring Festival, outlook on bilateral relations, and their New Year greetings to the Chinese people.

What fascinates Irish Ambassador to China Eoin O'Leary the most in Chinese culture is the Chinese language. As he is still wading through the Chinese literature classic A Dream of Red Mansions, he finds the language very nuanced. "Chinese culture is very much reflected in its language,” said the ambassador.

Born in 1959, the ambassador's Chinese zodiac sign is pig. As he recalls every pig year in his life, he deems the animal very auspicious. He entered a good secondary school when he was 12 and got married at 24, then followed by a big promotion at 36. Therefore in his eyes, 2019 will be a year of happiness and prosperity.

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