Return of ancient ship to promote Sino-Swedish ties

The return of the 18th century Swedish merchant ship Gotheborg to China will deepen friendly relations and promote all-round cooperation between the two countries, according to diplomats and scholars from both sides.

A replica of Gotheborg arrived in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on Tuesday, after a nine-and-a-half month voyage.

The ship's return is a proof of the traditional and long-term friendship between Sweden and China and shows the two peoples' common aspiration to renew friendship and enhance exchanges, Swedish Ambassador to China Borje Ljunggren told Xinhua.

It has also provided a good opportunity for the two countries to further their cooperation in diverse fields and expand areas of mutual interest, he said.

Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, who arrived in China Monday on a six-day state visit, made a symbolic exit from Gotheborg III's cabin, to the applause of thousands of local officials and residents.

"The ship's return to China symbolizes the good and peaceful relationship between China and Sweden, which has lasted as long as 260 years," said the King, who has been following the reconstruction of the ship for more than 10 years.

The legendary Gotheborg made three voyages from Gothenburg to Guangzhou between 1743 and 1745, pioneering trade between Sweden and China.

On its last return trip to Sweden in 1745, tragedy struck when it smashed into rocks about 900 meters from its destination after a 30-month voyage to China. It sunk with its entire cargo outside the port of Gothenburg.

The wreckage of the ship was recovered in 1984 and excavation was conducted from 1986 to 1992. The discovery led to the idea of rebuilding a replica of the ship using the same traditional techniques and materials and sailing it to China again.

The replica, Gotheborg III, is 58.8 meters long and 11 meters wide. It cost 30 million U.S. dollars and 10 years of work by more than 4,000 shipbuilders.

The ship left Swedish city of Gothenburg for China in October last year, carrying 80 crew members and some of the silk, porcelain, tea leaves and spices that went down with the original ship.

But Sino-Swedish trade and economic cooperation has gone far beyond the confines of these commodities over the past 261 years.

Last year, bilateral trade was worth 5.7 billion U.S. dollars, China's Ministry of Commerce said.

Sources with the Swedish Embassy in Beijing said about 300 Swedish companies have set up business operations in China, bringing a total investment of 2.8 billion U.S. dollars.

Meanwhile, many Chinese businesses have invested in Sweden. Big-name IT and telecommunications giants including Huawei and Zhongxing have established research and development centers in Sweden, a country that has become one of China's largest trade partners in northern Europe.

During the ship's one-month stay in Guangzhou, the two countries will hold activities to promote exchanges in culture, tourism, economy and trade, said Wang Xiaoling, vice mayor of Guangzhou.

The King's entourage include chief executives of renowned Swedish firms including ABB, Volvo, SAS and SAAB, who will hold business discussions with their Chinese counterparts at a trade seminar.

"While the two governments seek to boost bilateral ties and expand common ground on international issues, the business people will also take the opportunity to enhance understanding and explore each other's investment environment," said Zhuang Liwei, an international studies expert with the Guangzhou-based Jinan University.

In the meantime, five exhibitions will be held in Guangzhou to review the milestones in bilateral relations and showcase Swedish coffee, tea culture and sailing.

Guangzhou is the first stop of the ship's China tour. In mid-August it will leave for Shanghai.

It is scheduled to sail back to Sweden after a two-month stay in Shanghai and a two-week stay in a shipyard in Zhejiang Province.

Source: Xinhua