On Thursday, Liberal Party leader Guri Melby (V) said Dagbladet that she believes that Norway should end negotiations on a free trade agreement with China as a result of how the country has responded to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The government does not agree.
– I see that Melby believes that we must end the negotiations on a free trade agreement with China, because China is not actively opposed to Russia’s war in Ukraine. I do not share Melby’s analysis or her conclusion, says State Secretary Henrik Thune (Labor) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to Dagbladet.
He believes that it will be negative for Norway to end the negotiations.
– Closing negotiations on a free trade agreement with China will not help Ukraine. Rather, it will hardly affect Chinese politics or society. On the other hand, it will be negative for Norway, which will thus not have the same market access in China as many of its competitors.
RUSSIA’S GOALS: This is the situation now, so they attack. Reporter: Halldor Hustadnes. Video: Hans A. Vedlog / Dagbladet sea view
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Warned against China
Melby warned, among other things, that if Norway becomes more dependent on China, it could be difficult for Norway to distance itself from China if they were to do something that Norway wants to distance itself from. She believes that the war in Ukraine has shown how dangerous it is to be dependent on trade with authoritarian regimes, and referred in particular to Europe’s gas trade with Russia.
– We can not let ourselves be dictated by what China thinks is acceptable that Norway says or does, the Liberal leader answered when asked if she thinks Norway should be willing to step on China’s toes.
Secretary of State Thune agrees.
– I agree with Melby that we can not let ourselves be dictated by China. We do not do that either. For example, we are clear in our communication with China that we are concerned about developments in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
UKRAINE WAR:Russia is now attacking Ukraine from the east. Lieutenant Colonel Geir Hågen Karlsen tells what this means for the development of the war. Video: Dagbladet TV / Reporter: Ivan Larsson sea view
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Has asked China to stop Russia
Furthermore, Thune says that Norway has asked China to stop Russia.
“The government has also called on China, a permanent member of the Security Council, to defend international law and the UN Charter and stand up for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
– We have also asked China to use its influence vis-à-vis Russia to end the hostilities. This government stands firm in its support for Ukraine, but Russia’s invasion cannot mean that we cut ties with China.
UKRAINE WAR: A spokesman for the US State Department says they will keep an eye on China’s support for Russia during the war against Ukraine. sea view
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KrF against the negotiations
KrF leader Olaug Bollestad tells Dagbladet that her party believes that Norway must put the negotiations on hold if China supports Russia militarily in the war.
– KrF believes that Norway must convey to China that we will immediately put the negotiations on a free trade agreement on hold if China chooses to support Russia militarily in the Ukraine war, Bollestad says to Dagbladet and continues:
– This is not an easy message to bring to China. But the suffering of the Ukrainian people in a war they are innocent of requires us to take positions that could cost us.
Thune believes that a free trade agreement with China can benefit Norwegian business.
– The negotiations on a free trade agreement with China are part of our broad relationship with China. A free trade agreement does not mean that we recognize everything the Chinese authorities do, but aim to give Norwegian business and industry better conditions in the face of the world’s largest market, he says.
