During a makeshift press conference outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in central Stockholm, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told TT that the EU is more united now than before on trade relations with China. The statement comes against the backdrop of the EU's 27 member states wanting to pursue a tougher policy to reduce China's trade influence in the union.
"We agree that we must achieve competition on equal terms. The EU is also prepared to take measures to achieve this. It is important that our Swedish companies can compete on equal terms globally," says Maria Malmer Stenergard to TT.
The war in Ukraine
China has positioned itself as a potential peace broker in the war in Ukraine. At the same time, the country is accused of both financially supporting Russia in its warfare and training Russian soldiers - an accusation that the EU recently levelled at Beijing.
The war in Ukraine was a key issue that the Foreign Minister raised during the meeting with Wang Yi, but no clear progress has been achieved in the discussion. Malmer Stenergard does not want to comment on the response she received from Wang Yi.
But it is obvious that we have two different views on the issue, she says.
Gui Minhai
Sweden's demand for the release of Swedish-Chinese publisher Gui Minhai was also a clear point during today's meeting. Minhai, who was arrested in 2015, accused of "providing intelligence to a foreign power", has been detained in China for more than ten years.
"We are told that he is in good health. We will continue to work for his release," says Maria Malmer Stenergard.
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