Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has once again been accused of sending mixed signals, now regarding his official visit to China this week. The visit comes just after his defense minister was elsewhere in Asia, visiting and offering support to countries that feel threatened by China, and while local governments back home struggle over how to balance possible Chinese investment with security concerns.
Støre’s visit first to Beijing, where he met with its authoritarian president Xi Jinping, and then to Shanghai, where he promoted Norwegian seafood, also marked 70 years of bilateral relations between Norway and China. Norway was among the first to recognize China after it emerged from revolution as a new communist country in 1949. That’s actually 75 years ago, but the two countries fell into a diplomatic freeze between 2010 and 2016. All relations were suspended, and the Chinese ambassador later left Oslo, after China reacted furiously to the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the late Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.
Relation were mended during the former Conservatives-led government but have remained tense. There’s been little progress on a proposed free trade agreement between China and Norway, Norwegian security agencies continue to view China as posing a major threat, Norway questions China’s human rights violations and has spoken out against Beijing’s crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong and its aggression against Taiwan.
Norwegian leaders, however, still want to keep talking with their Chinese counterparts and promoting business where they can, like selling seafood in the huge Chinese market. Støre was accompanied by a large business and labour delegation on his trip this week, noting how China is Norway’s third-largest trade partner after the EU and the US. “Trade with China means a lot for Norwegian jobs, creation of wealth and our welfare,” he stated before leaving for China over the weekend.
Around 160 Norwegian companies have operations in China, and top executives of several of Norway’s biggest companies were part of the delegation traveling with Støre to Beijing. They included state oil company Equinor, Yara International, Orkla, Kongsberg Maritime, Höegh Autoliners and Nordlaks, along with national employers’ organization NHO, trade union confederation LO and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association.
“It’s important for the government to help Norwegian businesses trade with China when it’s in Norway’s interests,” Støre said.
Many at home, however, were left feeling confused or even betrayed. Among them are companies and public officials in the northern Norwegian city of Kirkenes, situated close to the Russian border. It’s lost lots of business since Russia invaded Ukraine, from repair of Russian fishing boats to trade with Russians living on the other side of the border. State broadcaster NRK has also reported on how the harbour chief in Kirkenes was negotiating with a unit of the huge Chinese shipping company COSCO regarding logistics and future use of its harbour, in connection with development (as ice melts) of a new shipping route north of Russia between China and Europe.
Some wanted Støre to ask Chinese leaders to drop their plans for shipping through the emerging Northeast Passage, fearing accidents and environmental disaster in sensitive Arctic areas. Others see the route as a potential gold mine, both for shipping companies and Norway’s northern region. It’s not easy, though, for local players and institutions to know where to draw a line between the desire for business development and job creation, versus the needs for compliance with security policy. Kirkenes Mayor Magnus Mæland of the Conservative Party summed it up by telling NRK that “the trade- and fisheries ministries say one thing, while the justice ministry says something else. In the meantime, the prime minister travels to China.”
Kirkenes’ harbour chief claims he had asked for meetings with Støre when the prime minister was in Kirkenes, without succeeding. NRK’s own attempts to find out who within the Norwegian government is responsible for helping, in this case Kirkenes, with communication with China were also in vain. The prime minister’s office referred questions to the trade ministry, which passed them on to the fisheries ministry, which replied that “we want trade with China, at the same time it demands increased alertness to secure Norwegian interests.” The foreign ministry declined comment.
Then the issue came up for grabs among politicians in Parliament, with Ola Elvestuen of the Liberal Party claiming “‘this isn’t an issue for the fisheries ministry, it’s a matter of national security.” Others claimed that Støre’s government lacks a clear policy on the matter.
Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl ultimately stated that Chinese investment in Norway can be halted if it raises national security issues, and that the government’s initial standpoint would be to “say ‘no'” to Chinese investment in Kirkenes’ harbour. She added that “we want good cooperation between the authorities and local governments to balance business interests on the one side and national security interests on the other.”
Hedda Langemyr, director of the UTSYN center for security and defense, complained in a commentary in newspaper Dagsavisen that it was still difficult to understand what Støre’s justice minister meant by her response. Langemyr also claimed that the government’s ultimate response was “reactive” instead of being proactive. Kirkenes seems most keen to develop its harbour, Langemyr wrote, and the government itself understands that development is needed in a “geopolitically important” part of the country: “If China isn’t allowed to pay for it, who will pick up the bill?” Langemyr asked, suggesting that “it’s Norwegian money, and not Chinese, that should be invested in Kirkenes’ harbour.”
The Chinese Embassy in Oslo responded that it hopes “relevant parties in Norway do not overstretch the concept of security, and take an objective view on cooperation with China.” It added that “we expect Norway to maintain an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from all countries, including China.”
Støre, meanwhile, faced a delicate balance while in China. He took up both human rights issues and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza during his meeting with China’s president Xi, which newspaper Aftenposten characterized as “not heartfelt” but cordial.
Støre called it “a good, honest and thorough meeting.” He added that “we talked both about areas where we cooperate well, and about issues where Norway and China have differing views.” He indicated that talks about a free trade agreement remain stalled, but stressed that “we want to trade more with China in areas where we have interests.” That includes, according to Støre, the maritime sector and activity tied to the so-called “green shift,” while noting that “China is also an important market for Norwegian seafood.” On Tuesday Støre visited a fish market in Shanghai, and noted that “we work with Chinese authorities to create predictability and good market access for Norwegian seafood producers.”
Støre still thinks it was important to travel to China. “We do agree on more cooperation within several important areas,” he told reporters, including trade and climate issues. He also extracted an agreement that Norwegians no longer need to apply for a visa to travel to China, if their trip won’t last longer than 15 days. He said he and his Chinese counterparts agreed to disagree on how China has treated Uighurs in Xinjiang, minorities in Tibet and pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. There has been some agreement between Norway and China regarding the dire situation for Palestinians in the Middle East.
Most importantly, perhaps, are issues tied to Russia’s war on Ukraine. “We know that China has great influence on Russia, and expresses support for Russia’s warfare in Ukraine,” Støre said. “I said in the meeting (with Xi) that China’s support for Russia has an effect on relations between China and Europe.” Some commentators have written that Xi must realize that China’s purchases of Russian oil and gas and other support for Russia can backfire by making China unpopular in its important European markets.
“Even though we benefit from cooperation with China,” Store added, “China poses a security challenge for Norway in some areas. It’s possible and necessary to have constructive relations to countries with other values and interests than us, but it demands that we be more careful to take care of Norway’s interests.”
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund
