Former Iceland minister eyes closer ties with China

Editor's note: China Daily presents the series Friends Afar to tell the stories of people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries. Through the vivid narration of the people in the stories, readers can get a better understanding of a country that is boosting openness.

The economic rise of China over the past 40 years is one of the most significant events in modern history, says Illugi Gunnarsson, a former minister of education, science and culture in Iceland.

"Never before in history has such a large group of people been brought from poverty to prosperity, (and) the implications of the economic rise of China have been felt all around the world."

The challenge now, he said, both for China and other countries, is how to manage the shift to a multipolar world. Whenever there is a transition period such as this, there will be some turmoil in finding a new equilibrium, he said.

"So, I think this is what we are going through now. This, in many ways, could be expected as a development. But at the end of the day, there is huge benefit for everyone globally from the rise of the Chinese economy. For instance, the increase in Chinese consumption will play a part in stabilizing global politics."

Gunnarsson first came to China on an official trip many years ago as Iceland's minister of education. "We traveled a bit in China, we met a lot of leaders from academia, and from science, and of course ministers of education," he said, calling it an interesting experience.

After leaving politics, he went into business. His current company, now running in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, promotes food products from Iceland.

"I've been here many, many times because of business," Gunnarsson said, adding that he is confident in the Chinese economy in both the medium and long term.

"We have seen that the consumers here (in China) are just as sophisticated and demanding as we see in Europe and in the United States," he said.

"So, we have all the same challenges that we have in the other international markets (and) there are a lot of lessons we have learned in Europe and the US that are applicable in this market. But, of course, (the Chinese consumer market) also has its own identity."

Gunnarsson said there is always a high demand for high-quality products in China, especially food, and he noted a growing demand for products that are not only healthy but also tasty. "They don't want to compromise to just choose one side," he said.

Gunnarsson said China and Iceland have enjoyed many decades of political cooperation. "I would say this is growing," he said.

China and Iceland officially established diplomatic relations on Dec 8,1971, but the Icelandic Chinese Cultural Society has worked to enhance the friendship between the two peoples since it was established in 1953.

Healthy growth

There has been healthy growth of the commercial relationship between the two sides, Gunnarsson added, including a free-trade agreement signed in 2013.

"Iceland was one of the first nations in Europe to actually have a free-trade agreement with China," he said. "We have seen that this agreement has been working very well. We have seen a healthy increase in commercial activity."

Comparing the 1.4 billion population of China with Iceland's 390,000 might suggest a power imbalance, but Gunnarsson sees the makings of a beautiful relationship.

He said such relationships have little to do with geographical minutiae but a lot to do with open-mindedness and mutual respect.

According to Gunnarsson, there are many opportunities for cooperation between China and Iceland when it comes to education, science and culture.

"When looking at the Hong Kong (SAR's) system, I think we can benefit from a dialogue about teaching methods here," said the former minister about the education system in Iceland.

"At the same time, I think the Hong Kong school system can benefit from the way we approach teaching and our teaching methods in Iceland."

Striking "a golden balance "between the two approaches could be very interesting, Gunnarsson said.

Gunnarsson mentioned that in many respects the Chinese education system is very humanistic, and it acknowledges that society needs all sorts of different talents.

"One has to bear in mind that just the size of China gives it unique challenges (in the education system)."

Meanwhile, he said, growth has been seen in the tourism sector. More Chinese people are coming to Iceland, many hoping to see the Northern Lights, Gunnarsson explained.

He also mentioned Iceland's other natural features. "We have wild nature. It's not just like your normal, nice hiking trails, where everything has been planned ahead," he said.

Gunnarsson said that since he does not speak Chinese, he realizes there are aspects of Chinese culture that he cannot access and fully comprehend.

"But at the end of the day, even though you have cultural differences, humans are the same," he said. "They love their kids, they like similar things," he explained, noting that this common ground on "what makes us human" is what he likes most about China and other cultures.

Gunnarsson said he found China's history and culture fascinating.

"I think that one of the problems, (one of the) challenges we have when it comes to the relationship between China and the West, is that there is a general lack of understanding and knowledge in the West of Chinese history," he said.

When people think about China, its policies and what it is doing, it needs always to be brought into historical context, Gunnarsson said, otherwise, a lot of misunderstanding is possible.

"To increase the dialogue, to increase the understanding of China, Chinese history and Chinese culture in the West, it is a very important thing that more people actually travel to China, to see China with their own eyes."

Apart from visiting China frequently for business and investment, Gunnarsson also came to China as he made many friends here during his political career.

Gunnarsson said he returned to China last summer mainly because he wanted to visit Beijing to get exposed to its historical side, meet locals in Beijing, and visit their homes to see China in its purest form.

His secondary purpose was to meet up with friends in Hong Kong and visit the Chinese Foundation Secondary School, or CFFS, in Hong Kong, a secondary school founded in 2000 by renowned entrepreneur Annie Wu, together with six other good friends to be the sponsors of the school.

Gunnarsson also brought his daughter, Ina, to China to experience real Chinese culture. Together they toured Beijing, Hong Kong, and other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The teenager also visited CFSS for interactive games and learning activities. She said she greatly enjoyed it and hoped to share the unique experience with her peers back in Iceland.

"I also hope to have the chance to introduce the students in Hong Kong the Iceland culture in the near future," she added.