Relationship dossier
People's Republic of China
Iceland
Relationship assessment
A generally cooperative relationship built on trade and Arctic engagement
People's Republic of China toward Iceland
+35China concluded a bilateral free-trade agreement with Iceland, which entered into force in 2014, and established a comprehensive partnership with Iceland in 2012. These arrangements provide a substantive basis for bilateral economic and political cooperation.
Iceland toward People's Republic of China
+35Iceland concluded a bilateral free-trade agreement with China, which entered into force in 2014, and established a comprehensive partnership with China in 2012. Iceland has also engaged China in Arctic cooperation.
Overall relationship
+35The relationship is supported by durable bilateral arrangements, notably the 2014 free-trade agreement and the 2012 comprehensive partnership, alongside Arctic engagement. These provide a basis for sustained cooperation, while the known areas of collaboration do not indicate an exceptionally close partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
China and Iceland have pursued practical cooperation through a bilateral free-trade agreement, which entered into force in 2014, and a comprehensive partnership announced in 2012. Cooperation has also included Arctic-related engagement. These arrangements support a sustained, generally cooperative relationship, though they do not amount to a close strategic partnership.
Key developments
China and Iceland announced a comprehensive partnership.
The China-Iceland free-trade agreement entered into force.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of cooperation under the 2012 partnership are unclear.
- The extent of recent bilateral cooperation beyond trade and Arctic engagement is unclear.