On December 18，the 4th China-Iceland FTA Joint Committee Video Meeting was successfully held. Mr. Chen Ning, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Commerce of China hosted the meeting. Mr. Jin Zhijian, Chinese Ambassador to Iceland, Mr. Nikulás Hannigan, Director General for External Trade and Economic Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Mr. Gunnar S. Gunnarsson, Ambassador of Iceland to China, and representatives of relevant departments from China and Iceland attended the event.
The meeting spoke highly of the positive results achieved since the implementation of the China-Iceland FTA. The participants exchanged in-depth views on joint efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and further cooperation in customs, taxation, tourism, finance, investment and trade facilitation, free flow of goods and stability of supply chain.
In his remarks, Ambassador Jin pointed out that FTA was one of the most important agreements between China and Iceland. It serves as an important mechanism and motivation to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation. In the past six years since its entering into effect, FTA has strongly promoted the development of bilateral relations and benefited the two countries and the two peoples. The world is battling the COVID-19 pandemic as it goes through profound changes never seen in a century. China and Iceland should work together to unleash the potential of positive effects of FTA. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iceland. It is of great significance to further promote the bilateral business and trade relations.
Ambassador Jin also put forward suggestions on further deepening and expanding bilateral economic and trade cooperation to each best advantage.
The China-Iceland FTA is the first free trade agreement signed between China and European countries, which entered into effect on July 1, 2014.