Prime Minister Erna Solberg (Conservatives) lacks courage if she will not take up the issue of human rights on her visit to China, according to Chinese dissident, Hu Jia.
– If Erna Solberg does not address human rights, it means that Norway is willing to accept the Communist Party’s policy, human rights activist Hu Jia told NRK.
He is one of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo’s closest supporters. The well-known dissident is now out of jail, but is living under strict surveillance in Beijing. He believes Erna Solberg lacks courage.
– There will be nothing about human rights. Economic interests have obviously been given priority. It is difficult to see how that is in Norway’s interests, Hu Jia said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that they believe it is prudent to wait for other opportunities to take up human rights issues with China.
China froze relations with Norway after the Norwegian Nobel Committee granted the Peace Prize to the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in 2010. After which Norway’s trade- and human rights dialogue with China was halted.
Last week it was declared that Solberg will lead a Norwegian delegation on an official visit to China from April 7th through 10th.
The resumption of political and economic cooperation with China is the main purpose of the visit. This is the first Norwegian Prime Minister’s visit in China for more than ten years, and include meetings with, among others, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
