Liu Jianchao Meets with Birgir Ármannsson, Speaker of Parliament of Iceland
 ( 2023.10.08 )

Reykjavík, October 6th—Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today with Birgir Ármannsson, Speaker of Parliament of Iceland, and had exchanges with representatives of members of Iceland’s parliament from such political parties as Independence Party, Left-Green Movement, Social Democratic Alliance, Pirate Party, and People's Party.

Liu said, this year is the first year for China to fully implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress. We will comprehensively implement the new development concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open, and shared development, strive to promote high-quality development, continuously enhance the vitality of development while deepening reforms, and promote the process of Chinese modernization. China's development will provide broad development space for China-Iceland cooperation and new opportunities for the growth of all countries. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Icelandic side in economy, trade, geothermal, tourism, communication and cooperation at local level. Iceland is a major country of clean energy. It is hoped that the two sides will strengthen cooperation in ecological civilization construction and jointly make the Earth a place where man and nature can coexist in harmony and economy and environment can advance in parallel.

Liu said, in the face of changes unseen in a century, President Xi Jinping proposed the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and called on the international community to join hands in building a world with lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity, a world that is open, inclusive, clean and beautiful. President Xi Jinping also successively proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. These initiatives have enriched the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and set out a pathway toward realizing this goal. Iceland supports globalization and free trade and has unique national traditions and culture. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen international coordination with the Icelandic side and contribute to world security, development and prosperity.

At present, China-Iceland relations maintain sound development momentum. It is hoped that both sides can properly handle differences, respect each other's core interests, and continue to be a model of friendly coexistence between countries of different sizes and social systems. The CPC is willing to, together with all political parties of Iceland, exchange and learn experience in party building and state governance from each other, so as to promote mutual understanding and practical cooperation.

Ármannsson welcomed the Chinese delegation led by Liu Jianchao on behalf of Iceland’s parliament. He said, although Iceland and China are far apart and have different national conditions, the two sides' cooperation has been fruitful. Iceland is proud to be the first European country to sign a bilateral free trade agreement with China. The legislatures of the two countries maintain close exchanges, continuously enhance mutual understanding, and promote the healthy and stable development of relations between our two countries. The Icelandic side attaches importance to China's important role in the international community and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with the Chinese side on international and multilateral affairs to inject more stability into this changing and turbulent world.

Representatives of members of Iceland’s parliament happily recalled their visits to China and the stories of exchanges with China. They spoke highly of the great development achievements the Chinese people made under the leadership of the CPC. They expected to intensify mutual visits and exchanges, and strengthen practical cooperation to benefit the two peoples. In recent years, extreme climate events have occurred frequently, posing severe challenges to human survival and development. The Icelandic side spoke highly of the Chinese side's important contributions to global sustainable development, and expressed the willingness to deepen cooperation with China in fields such as geothermal and climate change based on existing cooperation, benefit more developing countries and contribute to the protection of the Earth, the homeland for mankind.

Liu also elaborated on China's positions and views on issues including relations between major countries, climate change, global governance, South-South cooperation, the Ukraine crisis and other issues upon inquiry.

Enditem