On March 18, 2026, Chinese Ambassador to Iceland He Rulong wrote an article titled “Building Bridges Not Walls” in Iceland’s leading newspaper Morgunblaðið. The article started with the Ambassador’s attendance at a luncheon hosted by President of Iceland Halla Tómasdóttir for foreign diplomats, and then went on to talk about the four major global initiatives of China.

The article noted that head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable role in China-Iceland relations. China sees eye to eye with Iceland when it comes to safeguarding international law, multilateralism and free trade. All countries should respect the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and settle disputes peacefully through negotiations. We should build bridges to reach out to one another, not creating walls to undercut each other.

The article noted that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iceland. The two sides should take this opportunity to strengthen practical cooperation  in the fields of geothermal energy, people-to-people exchanges and cultural interactions, with a view to further deepening bilateral relations.