CIFIT organizers met with Icelandic business elites and leaders of top trade and investment promotion organizations at a presentation in Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland, on May 30.
Ni Chao, deputy mayor of Xiamen, the host city of the annual China International Fair for Investment & Trade, gave a speech at the event with a theme of Beautiful Xiamen, Infinite Opportunities. Ni said that raising connectivity among global economies will be at the heart of the 2016 fair, along with authoritative investment information disclosure and high-level symposiums and networking opportunities.
Zhang Weidong, China Ambassador to Iceland, said that there are great complementarities in the Chinese and Icelandic economies – China has a large market, abundant capital and labor force, and profound experience in running large projects, while Iceland has advantages in developing tourism, fisheries, renewable energy and medical research.
Zhang noted that the central banks of China and Iceland signed a currency swap agreement in 2010, and that Iceland became the first European nation to sign a free trade agreement with China in 2014.
Leaders from top trade and investment promotion organizations introduced Iceland’s business environment, pillar industries and areas for cooperation, and pledged to organize business associations and companies to be at the fair to exhibit their feature products and seek partners in geothermal energy, fisheries, telecommunications, shipping, bio-medical products and services, and tourism.
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
