McAleese condemns targeting of Chinese community

President Mary McAleese has condemned racists who have targeted the Chinese community in Ireland.

President McAleese was speaking at a gathering of the Belfast Chinese population in the south of the city, an area that has seen a recent increase in racially motivated attacks.

She praised the community for paying the people of Ireland the compliment of viewing the island as a place where they wanted to live.

Mrs McAleese added that both parts of the island had to address the issue of racism.

There are about 10,000 Chinese people living in the North, the largest and longest established ethnic minority in the country, but it has become increasingly vulnerable to racist attacks.

It was claimed that 40 Chinese families had to leave the area in the past year because of harassment from paramilitaries.