Götheborg of Sweden embarks on the Asian expedition to China
Sponsored Content: by (People’s Daily Online)
The Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Cui Aimin extended his congratulations to the Gothenburg of Sweden, which once again embarked on the 2022/2023 Asia Expedition to China, when he saw off the ship at the ports of Stockholm in Sweden on July 12, 2022.
Cui said that Gothenburg’s very first trip to China in 1739 opened a chapter in the history of nearly 300 years of friendly exchanges between China and Sweden, carved out the China-Sweden Maritime Silk Road, promoted the development and prosperity of Gothenburg and Sweden, thereby becoming a symbol of mutually beneficial cooperation and deep friendship between the two countries. In the 1990s, thanks to the joint efforts of all sectors of Swedish society, the Götheborg of Sweden was successfully built as exactly as the original ship Götheborg. In 2005, Sweden’s Gothenburg sailed to China, attended by the leaders from both sides, which became a major event in the development of the friendship between China and Sweden.
Cui pointed out that China and Sweden have closer ties and more extensive cooperation today. The “black lead and lint traded for tea and china” has expanded to cooperation in areas including communications, medicine, finance, transport and green and low-carbon energy. Last year, bilateral trade reached a record $20.9 billion. China-Sweden economic and trade cooperation has brought more tangible benefits to the two peoples. The trip to China will not only give us an opportunity to review history and renew friendship, but also explore new models and build new platforms for practical cooperation between China and Sweden and promote the healthy development of bilateral relations through cultural and trade ties. He wished Gothenburg of Sweden smooth sailing and safe arrival in China.
Lars G. Malmer, chairman of the Swedish East Indian Company, thanked the ambassador for his good wishes for Sweden’s Gothenburg. He said that the ship is an emblem of the friendship between Sweden and China and that on its way out again it really renews the friendship between the two countries. Gothenburg of Sweden brings Sweden and China together by promoting cooperation in business, trade, culture and exchange between people, which is necessary for the development of bilateral relations. Malmer recalled Sweden’s Gothenburg trip to Guangzhou in 2006 and said the ship proves Sweden’s good will and strong interest in implementing mutually beneficial cooperation with China. He hoped that Sweden and China continue to sail along this correct historical path and that Sweden’s Gothenburg arrives in China in good health.
The original ship Götheborg was a famous Swedish ocean-going merchant ship in the 18th century. It sailed to Guangzhou, China three times between 1739 and 1745. In 1995, Sweden took its model to build Sweden’s Gothenburg, which sailed to China in 2005. 17 years later, Sweden’s Gothenburg set sail again on June 8, 2022. This time, it will sail along the ancient route to China and is expected to arrive in Shanghai in September 2023.
Stephan Bjork, Chairman of Greencarrier Group, Johannes Jemdahl, CEO of Green Carrier, and representatives of the crew and sailors on board attended the event.