By 
FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council is considering whether to send a delegation to China between April and June 2026 after receiving an invitation from the Chinese Consulate.
The proposal follows a four-and-a-half-day visit to the city of Huangshi in October last year by council chair Barry McElduff, vice-chair Shirley Hawkes and chief executive Alison McCullough. That visit formed part of the council’s Friendly Co-operative Cities Agreement with Huangshi.
The October trip cost £5,412 and was funded by the council, with support from the Northern Ireland Bureau in China.
It followed a formal invitation from the Mayor of Huangshi and was intended to explore opportunities in tourism, education and business investment.
At the council’s January meeting, members discussed the latest invitation and agreed that further information should be sought from the Chinese Consulate regarding the proposed itinerary and the potential economic benefits for the district.
However, the prospect of another overseas visit was criticised by UUP councillor Mark Ovens, who questioned whether the council was focusing on the right priorities and whether such a trip would benefit ratepayers.
In a statement, Cllr Ovens said, “Too many basic services are still falling short – bin collections are being missed week after week – yet more time was spent discussing another possible trip to China. This comes just months after a similar visit that cost ratepayers almost £5,500 but delivered no clear benefit.”
The council said the size and composition of any potential delegation have not yet been determined.
A spokesperson said members had noted the correspondence from the Chinese Consulate and agreed to seek further details before making any decision.
Cllr Shirley Hawkes said the relationship with Huangshi dates back to 2018 and was renewed during a mayoral visit to the district last year. She said the most recent visit strengthened cooperation in tourism, trade and education, and that any further trip remains under consideration pending a report to council members.
