前言

自1971年中国与冰岛正式建立外交关系以来，双方在经贸、旅游、文化、教育、科技等诸多领域务实合作，取得了积极成果。

——经贸往来逐年加强。2005年，冰岛在西欧国家中率先承认中国市场经济地位。2006—2021年，中国已连续16年成为冰岛在亚洲最大的贸易伙伴。2013年《中华人民共和国政府和冰岛政府自由贸易协定》签署，这是中国和欧洲国家签署的第一个自由贸易协定，对中欧经贸关系的发展具有重要的示范作用，这标志着正式建立了中冰自由贸易区。2015年7月，浙江吉利控股集团宣布以4500万美元入股冰岛碳循环国际公司，实现了中国对冰岛直接投资零的突破。2020年，中国和冰岛双边贸易额为5.6亿美元，是1971年的2360倍。

——旅游业态逐年向好。1978年，中冰友好交流协会组织第一批冰岛游客到中国旅游。近年来，中国赴冰岛游客大幅增加。2014—2018年，中国（包括港澳台地区）赴冰岛游客由每年2.6万人次增至13.35万人次，年均增长72.52%。2019年，来自中国的游客数量已近9.9万人次，中国成为冰岛第七大游客来源国，连续8年成为冰岛在亚洲的最大客源地。

——文化传播逐年活跃。2014年双方文化部门签署了《中冰文化合作谅解备忘录》。两国在对方国家举办画展、邮票展等多项展览，互派文艺团体进行访问演出。2018年，冰岛国家男子足球队闯进世界杯及在世界杯上的出色表现为中国人民所钦佩，两国足球交流更加活跃。2019年中国“欢乐春节”活动首次走进冰岛，引发热烈反响。冰岛的《萨迦》《埃达》等著作译成中文在华出版。《道德经》《论语》《西游记》等中国经典名著也被翻译成冰岛语在冰岛出版发行。

——教育事业逐年兴盛。早在20世纪七八十年代，中国即开始派出留学生赴冰岛学习冰岛语。2006—2007年，冰岛阿克雷里大学和冰岛大学相继设立了汉语课程和汉学专业。2008年，冰岛大学“北极光”孔子学院正式成立，冰岛民众学习汉语的兴趣越来越高。2019年，中国和冰岛两国政府签署关于相互承认高等教育学历学位的协议，这对促进两国在教育领域的合作，特别是留学生的交流具有重要意义。

——科技合作逐年密切。中冰两国在地热、环保、地震、海洋学、北极科研等方面的合作成果丰硕。20世纪80年代，冰岛开始为中国培训地热技术人员。2005年，中冰签署《中华人民共和国国家环境保护总局与冰岛共和国环境部环境合作谅解备忘录》和《中国地震局和冰岛环境部地震研究合作谅解备忘录》。2012年，双方签署的《中华人民共和国政府与冰岛政府关于北极合作的框架协议》是北极国家与中国签署的第一个涉及北极事务的法律文件。2018年，中—冰北极科学考察站正式启用，成为继“中国北极黄河站”后，中国在北极地区设立的第二个科考站，必将在北极科研合作方面发挥重要作用。

为更好服从服务于国家外交大局，进一步助力中冰两国双边各领域务实合作，2014年济南大学成立了冰岛研究中心。该中心是中国教育部备案的国别与区域研究中心。目前，冰岛研究中心已吸引了国内外数十名学者担任中心研究人员，针对冰岛及中冰关系开展了多项研究，竭力为中冰双边合作建言献策。冰岛研究中心积极主动与中外使馆以及高校建立联系，聘请多位中国前驻外大使和海内外专家作为顾问和客座教授，为开展有深度、有高度的智库研究奠定了良好基础。

2021年是中冰建交50周年。为增进中冰两国相互了解，弘扬当代中冰企业家自强不息、敬业奉献、顽强拼搏的精神，展示中冰企业家在推动中冰两国经贸往来等方面所作出的积极贡献，济南大学冰岛研究中心组织本校23名学生志愿者，采访整理了15位致力于中冰两国经贸往来的中国和冰岛企业家的商业故事和创业故事，编写了《中冰企业家风采录》一书。

本书的编撰于2021年6月正式启动，2022年5月完成。书中采访的15位企业家非常具有代表性，他们是两国各行业中的翘楚，他们在不同领域积极履行社会责任、体现企业担当，发挥了桥梁纽带作用。书中每一篇文章都是一个精彩的奋斗故事，讲述了每一位企业家艰辛的拼搏人生，或激励斗志，或启迪人生，为我们丰富精神世界、增强精神力量提供了文化滋养。希望此书的出版能够深化中冰友谊、拉近两国人民距离、加深对中冰经贸关系的了解与认识，激励中冰两国企业家在双边贸易、投资、旅游、科技、教育等诸多领域合作过程中作出新的更大贡献。同时，希望两国年轻人从企业家们精彩的人生中受到激励和启发，从而创造出属于自己的丰富人生。

由于时间匆忙，本书难免有不足之处，敬请广大读者批评指正！

编者

2022年5月

Since the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iceland in 1971, the two countries, through practical cooperation, have made positive achievements in many fields, such as trade, tourism, culture, education as well as science and technology, etc.

—Economic and trade exchanges between two countries are being strengthened year by year. In 2005, Iceland became the first Western European country to recognize China's market economy status. From 2006 to 2021, China has become Iceland's largest trade partner in Asia for 16 consecutive years. Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Iceland was signed in 2013, which is the first free trade agreement between China and European countries. It plays an important exemplary role in the development of China-EU economic and trade relations. China-Iceland free trade zone was also officially established. In July 2015, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group announced that it had become the shareholder of Carbon Recycling International(CRI) by their investment of US$ 45 million in CRI, which achieved a breakthrough of zero outward direct investment from China in Iceland. In 2020, the bilateral trade volume between China and Iceland reached US$ 560 million, 2,360 times that of the year of 1971.

—The tourism industry is growing year by year. In 1978, China-Iceland Friendship Exchange Association arranged for the first batch of Icelandic tourists to travel in China. In recent years, Chinese tourists to Iceland have increased sharply. From 2014 to 2018, Chinese tourists (including tourists from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) to Iceland increased from 26,000 to 133,500 per year, with an average annual increase of 72. 52%. In 2019, the number of tourists from China has reached nearly 99,000. China has become Iceland's the seventh largest source of foreign tourists in the whole world and the largest source of tourists in Asia for eight consecutive years.

—Cultural communication is becoming active year by year. In 2014, the cultural departments of two countries signed Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Cooperation between China and Iceland. The two countries held many exhibitions in each other's countries, such as art exhibitions and stamp exhibitions, and sent theater troupes to each other for performances. In 2018, the Icelandic men's national football team qualified for the World Cup and performed well in the World Cup, which was admired by Chinese people, so football exchanges between both countries became more active. In 2019, “Happy Chinese New Year” entered Iceland for the first time, causing an enthusiastic response. Icelandic works such as Sakya and Edda have been translated into Chinese and published in China. Chinese classics such as Tao Te Ching, the Analects of Confucius and Pilgrimage to the West have also been translated into Icelandic and published in Iceland.

—Education is booming year by year. As early as the 1970s and 1980s, China began sending students to Iceland to learn Icelandic. From 2006 to 2007, University of Akureyri and University of Iceland successively offered Chinese courses and established Sinology major. In 2008, the Northern Light Confucius Institute at University of Iceland was officially established, and Icelandic people are increasingly interested in learning Chinese. In 2019, the governments of both China and Iceland signed an agreement on mutual recognition of qualifications concerning higher education, which is of great significance to promote the cooperation in the field of education between two countries, especially the exchange of foreign students.

—Scientific and technological cooperation is becoming close year by year. China and Iceland have made rich achievements in cooperations in geothermal energy, environmental protection, earthquake, oceanography, Arctic scientific research, etc. In the 1980s, Iceland began to train geothermal technicians for China. In 2005, memorandums of understanding on the cooperation of environment and seismic research between China and Iceland were signed. In 2012, China and Iceland signed the Framework Agreement on Arctic Cooperation, which is the first legal document involving Arctic affairs between China and an Arctic State. In 2018, China-Iceland Arctic Science Observatory was officially opened. It becomes China's second research station in the Arctic region after the “Chinese Arctic Yellow River Station” and is bound to play an important role in the cooperation on Arctic research.

In 2014, Icelandic Research Center was established at University of Jinan to better serve the overall situation of national diplomacy and further assist the practical cooperation in various fields between China and Iceland. The Center is a national and regional research center registered by Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. At present, Icelandic Research Center, having attracted dozens of scholars at home and abroad as researchers of the center, not only carries out a number of studies on Iceland and the bilateral relations, but also makes every effort to offer advice and suggestions for the bilateral cooperation between China and Iceland. The Icelandic Research Center actively establishes contacts with Chinese and foreign embassies and universities. Meanwhile, it hires many former Chinese ambassadors to foreign countries as well as experts at home and abroad as consultants and visiting professors, which lays a good foundation for in-depth and high-level think tank research.

The year of 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iceland. Icelandic Research Center of University of Jinan under Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China organized 23 student volunteers to interview and sort out the business experiences and entrepreneurial stories of 15 entrepreneurs who are committed to economic and trade exchanges between China and Iceland. Icelandic Research Center compiled the book What They Say — Executives in China-Iceland Trade and Economic Cooperation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Iceland. The target of the book is to further enhance mutual understanding between the two sides, vigorously carry forward the spirit of constant self-improvement, professional dedication and tremendous tenacity in the life of contemporary China-Iceland entrepreneurs, as well as show the positive contributions made by Chinese and Icelandic entrepreneurs in promoting bilateral economic and trade exchanges.

The compilation of the book was officially launched in June 2021 and completed in May 2022. The 15 interviewed entrepreneurs in the book are very representative. Based on their own duties, they perform their social responsibilities, build bridges to boost China-Iceland relations and contribute to practical cooperation in various fields. Every chapter of the book is a wonderful struggle story, and every entrepreneur has a hard time. Whether the inspiration of fighting spirit or enlightenment of life, they provide cultural nourishment for us to enrich our mental world and enhance our spiritual power.

We hope that the publication of the book will deepen the awareness and understanding of the two peoples on China-Iceland economic and trade relations, shorten the distance between the two peoples, further deepen China-Iceland friendship, strengthen cultural exchanges as well as help Chinese and Icelandic entrepreneurs to make new and greater contribution to the cooperation process of bilateral trade, investment, tourism, science and technology, education, etc. Meanwhile, we hope that the young people of both countries will be encouraged and inspired by the wonderful lives of entrepreneurs and enrich their own colorful lives.

Due to the tight schedule, there are inevitably some deficiencies in the book. Your criticism and correction will be highly appreciated!

Editors

May, 2022