The Arctic Circle Assembly has wrapped up in Reykjavik. The largest annual international gathering on the Arctic drew more than 2,000 participants from more than 50 countries this year. Arctic Circle Chairman Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson gave CGTN his assessment of China's role in the international cooperation in the region.

ZHANG HE CGTN REPORTER "China published its Arctic White Paper earlier this year. What caught people's attention is the mention of Polar Silk Road. So how do you see China's role in the Arctic region?"

OLAFUR RAGNAR GRIMSSON CHAIRMAN, ARCTIC CIRCLE "It is only five years that China became an observer state in the Arctic Council. During those five years, the engagement of China in Arctic cooperation, Arctic discussion, Arctic dialogue, Arctic projects has grown very fast. Many people who have observe this development ask me why China is so interested in the Arctic, why China at all be involved in the Arctic. The answer is very simple and it has many important aspects. One is that the melting of the ice in the Arctic will have a big consequence for the future of China. In addition, the opening up of the Northern Sea Routes will be of great importance to China as a major leading trading nation in the 21st century. But what is also important is that China Polar Institute and Chinese scientists make great contribution to our scientific knowledge about the Arctic. And the new Belt and Road Initiative which was at the beginning of the year expanded to the Arctic through the Polar Silk Road concept. Could also be an important part of the infrastructure build-up in the Arctic or close to the Arctic. So five years later, China has become one of the major partner in the international cooperation on the Arctic."