The Speaker of Alþingi Held Online Meeting With The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China

On 26th May, Mr. Birgir Ármannsson, Speaker of Alþingi, the Icelandic National Legislature, held a remote meeting with Mr. Zhao Leji, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People´s Republic of China.

China remains Iceland's largest export market in Asia, and this year marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between the countries. The importance of the trade relationship, the increased significance of tourism, and projects in geothermal and renewable energy in China were discussed.

The Speaker of Alþingi also addressed international challenges and common concerns, such as climate change and issues concerning the Arctic, human rights concerns, and the invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Birgir Ármannsson expressed the strong support of the Alþingi and the Icelandic government for Ukraine's cause against Russia's illegal invasion. He also mentioned the recent Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe held in Reykjavik last week. He emphasized the importance of the fundamental values on which the Council of Europe is built: democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

The Speaker of Alþingi and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China agreed on the significance of international parliamentary exchanges and good relations between parliaments and countries.