China's Hubei, Nordic nations seek closer economic ties

People visit the Nordic life pavilion at the 2022 China-Nordic Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum &Fortune 500 Dialogue with Hubei, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

WUHAN, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- The 2022 China-Nordic Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum &Fortune 500 Dialogue with Hubei kicked off Tuesday in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, with the aim of enhancing cooperation between Hubei, Nordic countries and Fortune 500 enterprises.

During the opening ceremony of the event, which concludes Wednesday, 24 key cooperative projects worth 75.3 billion yuan (about 10.5 billion U.S. dollars) were signed, spanning areas including high-end equipment manufacturing, information technology and new energy.

This photo taken on Nov. 22, 2022 shows the opening ceremony of the 2022 China-Nordic Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum &Fortune 500 Dialogue with Hubei, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

Nordic countries have highly open economies with competitive and innovative enterprises, Zhang Xiaoyu, executive vice-president of the China International Council for the Promotion of Multinational Corporations, said at the opening ceremony.

Zhang called for intensifying cooperation and exchanges between Chinese and Nordic enterprises, saying this is of great significance to China's opening-up.

Participants walk past a billboard outside the venue for the 2022 China-Nordic Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum &Fortune 500 Dialogue with Hubei, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Nov. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

Ambassador of Iceland to China Thorir Ibsen voiced expectations for further economic cooperation between China and Iceland, noting that trade contacts play a vital role in boosting communication between countries.

As an economically vigorous province in central China, Hubei has provided opportunities for Iceland to carry out commercial activities and cooperation in China, Ibsen said.

He hoped the event would help nurture more collaboration between Hubei and Iceland in the future.