Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives in Oslo on Thursday. There he will have talks with Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide (H) about the corona situation.
Søreide confirms to VG that Norway will also take up human rights when Wang comes to Oslo.
“This is a good opportunity to have a political dialogue with China on a broad range of topics. We are negotiating a free trade agreement with China. There are many international issues to talk about. And then it is of course natural to talk about dealing with the pandemic and the economic aftermath,” Søreide says to VG.
The Chinese Foreign Minister will also pay a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and he will meet the press together with Søreide after the talks between them.
– The visit is a good opportunity to strengthen relations between Norway and China, and to promote important Norwegian foreign policy and economic interests. Topics that will be on the agenda include combating the coronavirus, working with the Security Council, human rights, negotiating a free trade agreement, and cooperation on issues such as the ocean, climate and development, says the Minister of Foreign Affairs in a press release.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
Norway gaining a seat on the UN Security Council certainly had something to do with this. 🙂
The United Nations compels everyone to participate in a democratic organization, and that is good for democracy and human rights in the world … and humanity.
It is very good to see Norway dialoging with China on mutual interests but also sharing concerns. I am sure Ine made strong representations of Norway’s and the West’s perspective on many matters, as well as exploring ways we can work *with* the Chinese.
China is one of the Big Three superpowers, and we need it to help de-escalate wars and such strife in the world, and we need it to take a leadership role in helping to save the environment while we may still have the chance to do so.
This is VERY good to see. Thank you again, Norway.