The China – Iceland Arctic Economic Roundtable will take place today in Hotel Natura, Nautholsvegur 52 in Reykjavik from 15.00 – 17.00.
The event is open to all interested parties. Admittance fee is 2.500 IKR. Registration is online - click here.
Participants will include Icelandic companies and other invited parties, governmental and regional officials, and Chinese companies and officials interested in economic cooperation in the Arctic. The central theme is ´Synergies between China and Iceland for Arctic Economic Cooperation´. Included will be presentations from Chinese and Icelandic companies and officials and discussions on further Arctic economic cooperation. Representatives of the China-Nordic Arctic Research Center (CNARC) Member Institutes will also provide comments on wider China-Nordic Arctic economic cooperation.
The roundtable will be a final component in the 2nd China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium in keeping with the model established during the 1st China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium which was held in Shanghai in June of 2013.
Economic cooperation between Iceland and China has increased significantly in the past two years. In April 2012 the Icelandic and Chinese governments signed a framework agreement on Arctic Cooperation as well as an MoU in the field of marine and polar science and technology. Since then the Chinese icebreaker R/V Xuelong visited Iceland during CHINARE5; a China-Nordic Arctic Research Center has been established in Shanghai and a joint China-Iceland Aurora Observatory in the North East of Iceland has been established with the foundation being formally laid in June this year. Economic cooperation has also been strengthened and in the year 2013 Iceland became the first European country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with China and China-Iceland partnerships include cooperation in energy (geothermal/oil and gas), shipping, finance, seafood etc. with many more Arctic economic cooperation opportunities on the horizon.
Organizers and inviters of the China-Iceland Arctic Economic Roundtable are the Icelandic Arctic Chamber of Commerce, the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network, the Icelandic Center for Research and the China-Nordic Arctic Research Center (CNARC) with support from the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs.