The Prime Minister met Chinas Foreign Minister Qin Gang

Bilateral relations, climate, the war in Ukraine and human rights were on the agenda in the meeting between Prime Minister Støre and Foreign Minister Qin.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Handshake.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Credit: Terje Pedersen / NTB

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre met Friday with Chinas Foreign Minister Qin Gang for a courtesy visit on the occasion of Qin’s visit to Norway. The meeting addressed the most important bilateral topics, the war in Ukraine and human rights situation in China.

- It is important that Norway and China maintain a continuous, sound, and broad dialogue. The visit of Foreign Minister Qin gives us the opportunity to raise questions and issues that is of high importance to Norway. China is an essential actor in international politics, international climate cooperation and global economy. Major challenges such as climate will not be possible to address without a close dialogue and cooperation, states Jonas Gahr Støre.

Prime Minister Støre also addressed human rights issues.

– We are concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the development in Hong Kong. Norway will continue to support the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and I encouraged China to do so as well, states Støre.

Foreign Minister Qin met the same day with Norway’s Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt for a joint meeting and working luncheon. The visit is the final one in a tour of Europe including Germany, France, and Norway.