REYKJAVIK - Iceland's President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson expressed his hope to strengthen bilateral cooperation on economy, trade, culture, Arctic affairs and renewable energy between Iceland and China Tuesday at new Chinese ambassador's credential presentation ceremony.

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After presenting his credentials to the Iceland's president, new Chinese Ambassador Zhang Weidong, who arrived for his post in Reykjavik last Thursday night appreciated highly the contributions to the bilateral relations by President Grimsson.

Zhang Weidong said that China values the good relations with Iceland and the friendly cooperation between the two countries have kept the momentum of healthy and fast development in recent years.

China and Iceland have attained fruitful achievements in their pragmatic cooperation in various fields, with mutual political trust deepening, economic and trade cooperation expanding, personnel exchanges increasing, the friendship between our peoples enhancing.

Grimsson expressed his satisfaction with the development of relations of the two nations, hoping to continue maintaining high level exchanges and strengthening bilateral cooperation on economy,

trade, culture, Arctic affairs and renewable energy and thus better benefiting two peoples to their common ends.

Zhang Weidong also emphasized that Chinese side cherishes its traditional friendship with Iceland and deems Iceland a reliably good friend and partner in Europe.

He felt deeply honored with great responsibility of his mission to be the Chinese envoy to Iceland in such a period of steady development of China-Iceland relations, expressing his willingness to make joint efforts with the Icelandic side to advance the bilateral relations to a new stage.

The Iceland's President also held a welcome reception in honor of Ambassador Zhang. The attendees included diplomats of the Chinese Embassy, other foreign envoys accredited to Iceland, overseas Chinese and friends from different circles.