Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Swedish counterpart Maria Malmer Stenergard in Stockholm on Saturday to advance bilateral relations. Both ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation, uphold multilateralism, and defend the international order based on international law. Furthermore, Wang noted that China and Sweden have historically served as each other’s largest trading partners in Asia and the Nordic region respectively. Consequently, the meeting signals a clear desire from both sides to rebuild momentum after years of diplomatic friction.
Wang acknowledged that bilateral relations experienced setbacks over recent years but have steadily improved since Stenergard visited China last year. He stressed that this positive trend deserves careful nurturing going forward. Additionally, Wang called on Sweden to continue adhering to the one-China principle as the political foundation of the relationship. He also noted that more than 10,000 Swedish companies currently conduct active trade with China.
On economic matters, Wang expressed hope that Swedish enterprises would further seize opportunities within China’s vast market. He also called on Sweden to provide Chinese companies operating there with a fair and non-discriminatory business environment. Furthermore, both sides agreed to use existing bilateral mechanisms, including joint committees on science and technology cooperation, more effectively. Emerging areas such as green transition, circular economy, and scientific innovation featured prominently in their discussions.
Stenergard confirmed Sweden attaches great importance to its relationship with China and sees enormous bilateral potential. She pledged that Sweden’s adherence to the one-China principle would remain unchanged going forward. Additionally, she expressed interest in expanding academic, educational, and personnel exchanges between both countries. Sweden also welcomed China’s visa-free policy for Swedish citizens as a positive step toward broader people-to-people engagement.
Both ministers agreed that today’s world faces growing instability requiring stronger multilateral cooperation between like-minded partners. Wang described China and Sweden as both supporters of multilateralism and beneficiaries of free trade globally. Going forward, both sides committed to jointly defending international law principles and addressing shared challenges including climate change. The Stockholm meeting therefore marks a meaningful step toward consolidating the recovering bilateral relations between Beijing and Stockholm.
