On June 4, many countries defied the warnings from China and shared pictures of lit candles on their official social media. The lights are a protest against China’s massacre on Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989.
But from Norway it was quiet.
At the same time, two Norwegian letters are on their way into the application pile with the Chinese authorities. The government is applying to export pork, milk and dairy products to China and plans to use Jonas Gahr Støre’s recent contact with the Chinese Prime Minister as momentum. It appears in internal e-mails Dagbladet mentioned on Tuesday.
Liberal leader Guri Melby wonders if it has a connection. She believes it is quite possible that Norway did not mark June 4 because they fear for trade relations and the export application.
– You do not want to step on their toes and therefore probably choose to sit still, Melby says to Dagbladet.
The government’s secret China plan
– What’s behind it?
The Liberal leader believes that Norway should have been clearer. She has challenged Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor Party) on why the Norwegian embassy in Beijing did not mark the day visibly.
LIGHTED CANDLES: Canada’s marked distance from the massacre with this image on June 4. Photo: Facebook / Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong & Macao.
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Among the countries that have supported the marking on social media are France, Poland, Finland, Sweden and Germany, writes Aftenposten. Lighted candles also come from the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Australia.
But neither the Norwegian embassy in Beijing’s Twitter account nor the Norwegian consulate in Guangzhou’s Facebook account have shared light on their social media.
– I wonder: Is it random? What is behind it? Melby asks.
Imprisonment and freezer
On June 4, 1989, Chinese soldiers occupied Tiananmen Square, also known as Tiananmen Square. There was a brutal massacre aimed at the students’ demonstrations for democracy. Hundreds, possibly thousands, were killed.
China is cracking down hard on all discussions about the massacre and has this year imprisoned several. They have also removed memorials in Hong Kong and banned markings.
HISTORICAL: A student lined up in front of China’s tanks in Beijing in protest. These days in June 1989 turned into a bloodbath. Photo by Jeff Widener, AP / NTB
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Relations between China and Norway have been turbulent since Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
Norway got out of China’s freezer in 2016, but the pandemic has in recent years made China’s import rules stricter.
– Lies on his back
Disturbed momentum
It has made trade with China more difficult. Norway now mostly only exports fish and seafood to the Chinese. The plans for a full free trade agreement are currently an unrealized dream.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Sandra Borch (Sp) sent applications to China on 10 May to export pork, milk and dairy products, revealed Dagbladet. She assured that Norway looks forward to further cooperation.
CRITICAL: Left-wing leader Guri Melby. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
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Must happen now
Melby (V) therefore thinks it is urgent.
– Clarifying what one can say and not say to China is important now. Sitting still now is worse than just a few years ago, she says.
She believes that Norway should test its borders with China before it is more involved in the trade network. She points out that if China were to start a war with Taiwan, it would be financially painful to implement sanctions if one was more economically dependent on China.
– I am afraid that we will increase our dependence on China and thus lose the opportunity completely, Melby says.
– Was the Liberal Party itself clear against China when you were in government?
– It has been a challenge over many years that we are not clear enough. We have a lot to do there, Melby answers.
Huitfeldt: Shares the concern
Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor Party) says that it has no connection that Norway did not light candles on social media and that they want to be on good terms with the Chinese after having the export application.
– The answer to that is no, Huitfeldt answers in an e-mail via his press contact Guri Solberg.
The Foreign Minister says she shares the concern about the human rights situation in China.
– The situation is serious, and we regularly address this in talks with the Chinese authorities, the UN, in statements with the EU and through the media. Most recently when Prime Minister Støre spoke with his Chinese colleague at the end of April, Huitfeldt writes.
She points out that the work on a trade agreement with China has been going on all the years Guri Melby has been in government.
– We consider the agreement broadly and will use the time we need to safeguard our interests in relations with China. The purpose of a free trade agreement is first and foremost to create better conditions for Norwegian business in China, says Huitfeldt.
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