China–Sweden relations explained

China–Sweden relations are the bilateral relations between and . Sweden was the second Western country to establish official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, on 9 May 1950.[1] [2]

History

Sweden's and China's ties goes back to the 17th century.[3] Sweden traded with China, and this was recorded by Nils Matsson Kiöping, who visited southern China on the Götheborg in 1654 and wrote accounts of his journeys to China upon his return to Sweden.[3] The Swedish East India Company traded with China from 1731 to 1813.

New research on 1913-1917 post-Qing relations claim that the head of the Swedish Geological Survey, Johan Gunnar Andersson's work was part of Sweden's ‘extractive vision’ which dealt with aiding exploitative interests of Swedish industrial and foreign-policy actors by seeking to secure, for Sweden, a quasi-colonial presence in Republican China, centering on large-scale extraction of Chinese iron ore, profit-maximizing iron exports throughout the Pacific region and construction and operation of China's largest steel mills and weapons factories.[4]

20th century

Sweden was the first Western country to establish official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, which took place on 9 May 1950. For this occasion, chairman Mao Zedong decided to personally receive the Swedish ambassador, Torsten Hammarström, as he presented his letter of credentials,[5] which was quite unusual, and a sign that China attached great importance to this diplomatic breakthrough.[6]

2000s

A modern replica of the East Indiaman Götheborg was constructed and departed from Göteborg, Sweden, in 2005. The ship reached Shanghai, China, in 2006. The ship was welcomed in Shanghai by King Carl XVI and Queen Silvia of Sweden who made an official visit to China that year.[2]

2010s

The disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers including notably the extrajudicial rendition of author - publisher Gui Minhai, a Swedish national, from his residence in Thailand in late 2015 would catalyse sharp deterioration in relations. The Chinese government had been silent about holding him in custody for three months, at which point a controversial video confession was broadcast on mainland media.[7] On 5 January 2016, the Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that they took a "serious view" on Gui's disappearance.[8]

On 2 September 2018, a Chinese tourist named Zeng caused a diplomatic incident because he had incorrectly booked a hostel accommodation. Zeng and his elderly parents arrived a day early. They were not allowed to sleep in the lobby overnight, and were forcibly ejected by police when they refused to leave. Zeng accused the Swedish police of having used excess violence. The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded with a security warning on travel to Sweden.[9]

Uyghurs

In July 2019, British UN Ambassador Karen Pierce delivered a joint international statement on Xinjiang at the United Nations General Assembly's Third Committee on behalf of 23 countries, including Sweden. The countries said they shared concerns raised by the United Nations International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination regarding "credible reports of mass detention; efforts to restrict cultural and religious practices; mass surveillance disproportionately targeting ethnic Uyghurs; and other human rights violations and abuses." They called on China to comply with its national and international obligations to respect human rights, including freedom of religion, and allow UN human rights monitors access to internment camps.[10] [11] [12]

Continued conflict over Gui Minhai

In November 2019, Chinese ambassador Gui Congyou threatened Sweden saying that "We treat our friends with fine wine, but for our enemies we use shotguns." over the decision by Swedish PEN to award Gui Minhai the Tucholsky Prize. All eight major Swedish political parties condemned the ambassador's threats. On 4 December, after the prize had been awarded, Ambassador Gui said that one could not both harm China's interests and benefit economically from China; when asked to clarify his remarks he said that China would impose trade restrictions on Sweden. These remarks were backed up by the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing.[13]

The Swedish Ambassador to China, Anna Lindstedt, was recalled for arranging a meeting between the daughter of Gui Minhai and two businessmen representing Beijing without the approval or knowledge of the Swedish Foreign Ministry and indicted for unauthorised contacts with a foreign power.[14]

2020s

See also: Criticism of Confucius Institutes. In January 2020, the Chinese Embassy announced that they would be denying Chinese visas to reporters who criticise China or, as they put it, damage the relationship between China and Sweden. The Ambassador called Sweden's press "lightweight" and said they should not have picked a fight with China who is a "heavyweight" and will now retaliate.[15]

In February 2020, Sweden's foreign ministry summoned China's ambassador to demand the release of Gui Minhai, a day after he was sentenced to 10 years in jail on charges of illegally providing intelligence to foreigners.[16]

In 2020, amid the straining of the relations between both countries, Sweden shut down the last of the Confucius teaching programmes in the country.[17] Cities such as Gothenburg, Linköping, Luleå and Västerås have not extended long-standing twinning or partnership agreements with Chinese cities – Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xian and Jinan respectively. The agreement has been renewed continuously but officially expired at the end of 2019.[18] [19]

In June 2020, Sweden openly opposed the Hong Kong national security law.[20] [21] In April 2024, Sweden deported a Chinese united front activist on national security grounds.[22]

Trade relations

In 2006, the trade value between the two countries added up to $6.73 billion. As of 2016 Sweden had become China's ninth-largest trading partner in the European Union and China had been Sweden's largest trade partner in Asia for four consecutive years.[2]

Public opinion

A survey published in 2020 by the Pew Research Center found that 85% of Swedes had an unfavorable view of China.[23]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 60th anniversary of China-Sweden diplomatic relations celebrated . China Daily . 21 November 2016 . 18 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140318171448/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-05/07/content_9819770.htm . live .
  2. Web site: China-Sweden relations continue to strengthen . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140819130026/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-06/11/content_891453.htm . 19 August 2014 . 21 November 2016 . China Daily.
  3. Web site: China-Sweden relations beyond 60 years – People's Daily Online . People's Daily . 27 May 2010 . 21 November 2016 . 26 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131126163348/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/7001074.html . live .
  4. Per Högselius & Yunwei Song. 2 August 2020. Extractive visions: Sweden's quest for China's natural resources, 1913–1917. Scandinavian Economic History Review. 69. 2. 158–176. 10.1080/03585522.2020.1789731. free.
  5. Web site: H.M. Konungens tal vid Innovation Forum fredagen den 21 maj 2010 . Kungahuset.se . H.M. King's speech at the Innovation Forum on Friday, 21 May 2010 . 21 May 2010 . 17 July 2015 . 21 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150721015952/http://www.kungahuset.se/kungafamiljen/hmkonungcarlxvigustaf/tal/hmktal2010/hmkonungenstalvidinnovationforumfredagenden21maj2010.5.1fdbf1cc128b9aa9f4f8000923.html . dead .
  6. 60 years of friendship . Dragon News: Member Magazine for the Swedish Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong and China . 2010 . Swedish Chamber of Commerce . Beijing . PDF . 2 . 12 . 17 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150722032947/http://www.swedishchamber.com.cn/MediaBinaryLoader.axd?MediaArchive_FileID=a2ab96eb-db81-4ac7-8c8e-29287679a64d&MediaArchive_ForceDownload=true . 22 July 2015 . dead .
  7. Web site: Mystery deepens as two missing Hong Kong men surface in mainland China . Julie . Makinen . Jonathan . Kaiman . 20 January 2016 . Los Angeles Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20161116000425/http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-missing-hong-kong-20160120-story.html . 16 November 2016 . dead . dmy-all .
  8. Web site: Sweden's foreign ministry takes 'serious view' over disappearance of publisher and naturalised citizen while in Thailand . Phila . Siu . . 5 January 2016 . 6 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160109091245/http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1898013/swedens-foreign-ministry-takes-serious-view-over . 9 January 2016 . live .
  9. News: Wang . Xueying . China accuses Sweden of violating human rights over treatment of tourists . 17 September 2018 . 17 September 2018 . The Guardian . 17 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180917063335/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/17/china-accuses-sweden-of-violating-human-rights-over-treatment-of-tourists . live .
  10. Web site: 2019-10-30. Countries Blast China at UN Over Xinjiang Abuses. 2020-07-14. Human Rights Watch. en. 1 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200701060710/https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/10/30/countries-blast-china-un-over-xinjiang-abuses. live.
  11. News: Yellinek . Roie . Chen . Elizabeth . The "22 vs. 50" Diplomatic Split Between the West and China Over Xinjiang and Human Rights . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200507204645/https://jamestown.org/program/the-22-vs-50-diplomatic-split-between-the-west-and-china-over-xinjiang-and-human-rights/ . 7 May 2020 . 2020-08-12 . Jamestown Foundation.
  12. News: Basu . Zachary . 8 October 2020 . Mapped: More countries sign UN statement condemning China's mass detentions in Xinjiang . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201101165353/https://www.axios.com/un-statement-china-uighurs-xinjiang-6b29dbf5-b93c-4c70-bd4c-333e1c23471f.html . 1 November 2020 . 18 December 2020 . Axios.
  13. Web site: Olsson . Jojje . China Tries to Put Sweden on Ice . The Diplomat . 31 December 2019 . 31 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191231050646/https://thediplomat.com/2019/12/china-tries-to-put-sweden-on-ice/ . live .
  14. Web site: Associated Press . Former Swedish ambassador to China indicted over meetings to discuss Hong Kong bookseller . South China Morning Post . 9 December 2019 . 1 January 2020 . 12 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191212215102/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3041321/former-swedish-ambassador-china-indicted-over-meetings-discuss . live .
  15. Web site: Cheng . Ching-Tse . Chinese envoy threatens and mocks Swedish media as 'lightweight' . Taiwan News . 20 January 2020 . 20 January 2020 . 20 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200120232754/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3861107 . live .
  16. Johan Ahlander (25 February 2020), Sweden summons Chinese ambassador to demand release of Gui Minhai  Reuters.
  17. News: Swedes axe China-backed Confucius school scheme as relations sour. The Times. Oliver. Moody. 21 April 2020. 22 April 2020. 22 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200422021548/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/swedes-axe-china-backed-confucius-school-scheme-as-relations-sour-7n56ld2v3. live.
  18. Web site: Gothenburg axes twin city agreement with Shanghai as Sweden closes all Confucius Institutes. hongkongfp.com. Hong Kong Free Press. 2020-04-24. 2020-04-24. 4 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210704070233/https://hongkongfp.com/2020/04/24/gothenburg-axes-twin-city-agreement-with-shanghai-as-sweden-closes-all-confucius-institutes/. live.
  19. Web site: Everington . Keoni . Gothenburg cuts sister-city ties with Shanghai as Sweden cans Confucius Institutes . www.taiwannews.com.tw . 24 April 2020 . Taiwan News . 25 April 2020 . 2 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200502081630/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3922118 . live .
  20. Web site: World reacts to China's national security law for Hong Kong. 2020-07-14. Al Jazeera. 2020-07-01. 2 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200702062621/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/06/world-reacts-china-national-security-law-hong-kong-200630114703819.html. live.
  21. Web site: Sweden-China ties grow ever icier over Hong Kong and coronavirus. David. Hutt. 11 June 2020. 2020-07-14. Nikkei Asian Review. en-GB. 14 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200714214905/https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Sweden-China-ties-grow-ever-icier-over-Hong-Kong-and-coronavirus. live.
  22. Web site: Olsson . Jojje . 2024-04-08 . Information on the detained Chinese journalist to be deported from Sweden . 2024-04-29 . Kinamedia . 12 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240412055114/https://kinamedia.se/2024/04/08/information-on-the-detained-chinese-journalist-to-be-deported-from-sweden/ . live .
  23. Web site: Unfavorable Views of China Reach Historic Highs in Many Countries. 6 October 2020. Pew Research. 6 October 2020. 15 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210615000451/https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/10/06/unfavorable-views-of-china-reach-historic-highs-in-many-countries/. live.

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