Since the start of 2024, in its diplomatic dealings with European countries, China has placed considerable emphasis on identifying areas of common ground and promoting friendly cooperation with the continent’s small and medium-sized countries.
Particularly significant in this regard was the early February visit to Beijing by Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
Noting that Eide is the first European foreign minister to visit China in 2024, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Eide’s visit shows the importance Norway attaches to China and the fact that relations between the two countries are maintaining forward momentum. Norway is a uniquely influential European country and one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of those relations. China appreciates the Norwegian government’s objective, rational and friendly view of China’s development, its adherence to the one-China principle and its friendship with China.
Wang Yi stressed that, to promote greater development of China-Norway relations in the next stage the two sides should first uphold the right way to get along with each other, respect the choices of their respective people, and accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns. The two sides should deepen practical cooperation, promote bilateral cooperation in various fields with a vision for development and a proactive attitude, strengthen multilateral collaboration, advocate multilateralism, adhere to openness and inclusiveness, and jointly promote peace and prosperity in the world.
Eide said that after 70 years of development, China-Norway relations have entered a mature stage. The Norwegian side firmly adheres to the one-China policy and advocates mutual respect and constructive dialogue to promote greater development of relations between the two countries, so as to jointly build a universal and inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world.
The two sides have broad space for cooperation in areas such as green transformation, and Norway is ready to work with China to jointly address global challenges such as climate change. China’s great achievements in poverty eradication are admirable and have made important contributions to the global poverty reduction cause.
What was undoubtedly of greatest significance in this visit, given Israel’s current genocidal war in Gaza, is that the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the recent situation in the Middle East and agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a substantial increase in humanitarian assistance. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East should be allowed to continue its vital humanitarian work in Gaza and the region, and donor countries were urged not to suspend their support to the Agency. Both sides also agreed on the need to strengthen support for the Palestinian National Authority and to start a political process leading to a two-state solution in which both the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples could live in peace and security. They also expressed concern about the spillover of the rising situation in the Middle East and agreed to continue to maintain communication on the issue.
Besides Norway, other West European countries calling for a ceasefire in Gaza include Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Malta, and Luxembourg, along with the devolved government in Scotland.
Former Minister Eide also met with Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and Minister Liu Jianchao of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (IDCPC).
Minister Liu said that the CPC is willing to strengthen exchanges with the Labour Party and other major political parties in Norway, carry out exchanges on governing concepts and development strategies, deepen mutual understanding and trust, and build bridges for local exchanges and practical cooperation between the two countries through inter-party channels, so as to promote the development of bilateral relations.
He also highlighted the need to deepen cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, along with green and maritime issues, as well as winter sports.
The Norwegian Foreign Minister’s Beijing visit was immediately followed by that of Swiss Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, who jointly held the third round of China-Switzerland Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. He also met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.
This visit had been preceded in January by Premier Li Qiang making Switzerland and Ireland his first overseas destinations of 2024.
Also, on February 8, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China and Portugal have upheld the idea of mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness since their diplomatic ties were established, vividly demonstrating the right way for countries to get along with one another. He made the remarks as he exchanged congratulations with his Portuguese counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, in the wake of the ‘Carnation Revolution’ that overthrew the previous fascist dictatorship.
China and Portugal have properly settled the Macao issue through friendly consultation and taken stock of the situation to establish their comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi added, and noted that the two sides have jointly coped with the global financial crisis and public health challenges, expanded mutually beneficial cooperation among their enterprises, worked together for stronger Belt and Road cooperation and the development of China-EU relations, and upheld multilateralism.
For his part, Rebelo de Sousa said that despite the long distance, Portugal and China have always been getting along and maintained friendly exchanges in political, economic, cultural, social, and other fields.
Noting that bilateral ties have been thriving since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Rebelo de Sousa said the two countries have successfully achieved the smooth handover of Macao, worked together to boost the development of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and actively carried out multilateral cooperation.
Meanwhile, the Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo visited China in January, and in a February 2 phone call, Premier Li Qiang and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte agreed to further promote cooperation between their two countries.
In contrast to some naïve and simplistic analyses of the current international situation that see only a united Global North, essentially devoid of contradictions, China’s sophisticated and nuanced handling of its relations with various countries in Europe, not least with regard to the present war in Gaza, embodies Leninist strategy and tactics as, for example, set out here in VI Lenin’s, “Left-Wing” Communism: an infantile disorder (and further developed by Mao Zedong, particularly with his concept of intermediate zones, as initially set out, for example, in his August 1946 talk with Anna Louise Strong):
“To carry on a war for the overthrow of the international bourgeoisie, a war which is a hundred times more difficult, protracted and complex than the most stubborn of ordinary wars between states, and to renounce in advance any change of tack, or any utilisation of a conflict of interests (even if temporary) among one’s enemies, or any conciliation or compromise with possible allies (even if they are temporary, unstable, vacillating or conditional allies) – is that not ridiculous in the extreme?”
The following articles were originally published on the websites of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Xinhua News Agency.
Wang Yi Holds Talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Espen Barth Eide
On February 5, 2024, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Espen Barth Eide in Beijing.
Noting Eide is the first European foreign minister to visit China in 2024, Wang Yi said Eide’s visit shows the importance Norway attaches to China and the fact that relations between the two countries are maintaining forward momentum. Norway is a uniquely influential European country and one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Norway. After 70 years of development, China-Norway relations have become more mature and resilient, and have maintained a strong endogenous momentum. China appreciates the Norwegian government’s objective, rational and friendly view of China’s development, its adherence to the one-China principle and its friendship with China.
Wang Yi said that the world today has entered a new period of turbulence and change, and the global political, economic and security situation is full of uncertainties. Human society is at a critical crossroads. China believes that the overall direction of pursuing peace and development by people of all countries will not change, the overall dynamics of human civilization moving forward will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change. Although China and Norway are geographically apart with different national conditions and systems, the two countries should be the forces of stability, peace and prosperity in the international community. The two sides should insist on candid communication, pragmatically promote cooperation, properly deal with differences, follow the overall direction, overall dynamics and overall trend, and jointly inject more certainty, stability and positive energy into the world.
Wang Yi stressed that to promote greater development of China-Norway relations in the next stage, the two sides should first uphold the right way to get along with each other, respect the choices of their respective people, and accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns. The two sides should deepen practical cooperation, treat bilateral cooperation in various fields with a vision for development and a proactive attitude, strengthen multilateral collaboration, advocate multilateralism, adhere to openness and inclusiveness, and jointly promote peace and prosperity in the world.
Eide said that after 70 years of development, China-Norway relations have entered a mature stage. The Norwegian side firmly adheres to the one-China policy and advocates mutual respect and constructive dialogue to promote greater development of relations between the two countries, so as to jointly build a universal and inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world. Eide said, he remembers clearly that President Xi Jinping said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that to grow its economy, China must have the courage to swim in the vast ocean of the global market. Norway also firmly supports free trade, adheres to openness and cooperation, and stays committed to defending WTO rules. The Norwegian side appreciates China’s transformation of development mode. The two sides have broad space for cooperation in areas such as green transformation, and Norway is ready to work with China to jointly address global challenges such as climate change. China’s great achievements in poverty eradication are admirable and have made important contributions to the global poverty reduction cause.
The two sides agreed to hold a series of activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, close high-level exchanges between the two countries; continue to deepen practical cooperation in various fields, explore the establishment of a bilateral dialogue on cooperation in green transformation, and push forward the facilitation of people-to-people exchanges; and jointly advocate multilateralism and free trade, and strengthen collaboration in dealing with climate change, the protection of biodiversity and other common challenges.
The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the recent situation in the Middle East. The two sides agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, allowing for a substantial increase in humanitarian assistance, the need for all parties to work together to prevent a spillover of the conflict and the call for the immediate release of all detained personnel. Both sides welcomed the investigations carried out by the United Nations and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. At the same time, the Agency should be allowed to continue its vital humanitarian work in Gaza and the region, and donor countries were urged not to suspend their support to the Agency. Both sides also agreed on the need to strengthen support for the Palestinian National Authority and to start a political process leading to a two-state solution in which both the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples could live in peace and security. The two sides expressed concern about the spillover of the rising situation in the Middle East and agreed to continue to maintain communication.
The two sides also had an exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest and concern.
Xi, Portuguese president exchange congratulations on 45th anniversary of ties
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday said that China and Portugal have upheld the idea of mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness since their diplomatic ties were established 45 years ago, vividly demonstrating the right way for countries to get along with one another.
Xi made the remarks as he exchanged congratulations with his Portuguese counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, on the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
China and Portugal have properly settled the Macao issue through friendly consultation, and taken stock of the situation to establish the comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi said.
Xi also said that the two sides have jointly coped with the global financial crisis and public health challenges, expanded mutually beneficial cooperation among their enterprises, worked together for stronger Belt and Road cooperation and development of China-EU relations, and upheld multilateralism.
Noting that he highly regards the development of China-Portugal relations, Xi said he stands ready to work with Rebelo de Sousa to set the course for an ever-deepening China-Portugal comprehensive strategic partnership, better benefit the two peoples, promote a sound and steady development of China-EU relations, and contribute to world peace, stability and prosperity.
For his part, Rebelo de Sousa said that despite the long distance, Portugal and China have always been getting along and maintained friendly exchanges in political, economic, cultural, social and other fields.
Noting that bilateral ties have been thriving since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Rebelo de Sousa said the two countries have successfully achieved the smooth handover of Macao, worked together to boost the development of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and actively carried out multilateral cooperation.
Portugal is ready to make joint efforts with China to carry forward the bilateral friendship and promote the greater development of bilateral relations, he added.
