BEIJING, March 7, 2025 — The Embassy of Iceland in the Chinese mainland marked three decades of diplomatic presence with a landmark forum on sustainable innovation, drawing over 200 diplomats, industry leaders, and academics to address critical challenges in gender equity and clean energy transitions.
Co-hosted with the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization (CCG), Thursday's event highlighted case studies showcasing Icelandic-Chinese collaboration in geothermal technology deployment and women's leadership in STEM fields. "When nations combine strengths in sustainability and social equity, they create blueprints for global progress," remarked Iceland's Ambassador to China during opening remarks.
Analysts noted the timing aligns with both nations' commitments under the Paris Agreement, with China targeting carbon neutrality by 2060 and Iceland leveraging its 85% renewable energy grid. A panel featuring executives from Sinopec and Iceland's Orka Energy highlighted training programs that have increased female representation in energy-sector technical roles by 40% since 2020.
The anniversary celebration underscored deepening bilateral ties, with two-way trade growing 12% annually since 2020, particularly in green technologies and Arctic research cooperation.
