A reception was held in Beijing Monday to mark the 35th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China
and Iceland.
Addressing the reception hosted by the Icelandic Embassy in
Beijing, Icelandic Foreign Minister Valgerdur Sverrisdottir spoke
highly of the "even more dynamic" and "ever accelerating nature" of
Icelandic-Chinese relations in various fields, including trade,
investment and tourism.
Sverrisdottir pledged wider cooperation between the two
countries in sectors such as geothermal research. The increasing
energy needs of China have to be met without jeopardizing the
environment and geothermal energy could be a part of the solution,
she said.
"This will provide a stronger base for the future development of
our relations," said the foreign minister.
Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Quan said China has
always been committed to mutually beneficial cooperation with
Iceland. He called for more fruitful cooperation over the next 35
years.
Some 200 officials and representatives from the two countries
and foreign embassies in Beijing attend the reception.
China and Iceland forged diplomatic ties on December 8, 1971.
Over the past years, bilateral economic and trade ties have
developed fast and trade volume has been growing. Statistics from
Chinese Ministry of Commerce show that two-way trade volume reached
US$97 million between January and October this year.
(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2006)
