Wang Yi held talks with Swedish Foreign Minister Stinagald
On July 4, 2026, local time, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, held talks with Swedish Foreign Minister Stjenagard in Stockholm.
Wang Yi stated that China and Sweden have a long history of exchanges. Sweden was the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, a time when the Iron Curtain had fallen and the Cold War was just beginning, reflecting Sweden’s strategic vision of upholding independence and self-reliance and rejecting bloc confrontation. After China’s reform and opening up, Swedish companies were among the first Western countries to enter the Chinese market and achieved great success. The two countries have long been each other’s largest trading partners in Asia and Northern Europe. The valuable experience gained from years of bilateral exchanges is the importance of maintaining an objective and rational understanding, a respectful attitude, and a spirit of seeking common ground while reserving differences, while adhering to the goal of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. In recent years, China-Sweden relations have experienced setbacks. Through joint efforts, we have placed our differences in an appropriate position, focused on improving mutual trust, centered on positive agendas, and expanded pragmatic cooperation. Following the Foreign Minister’s visit to China last year, China-Sweden relations have continued to warm and improve, a momentum that should be cherished. China is willing to work with Sweden to promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations. We hope that Sweden will continue to adhere to the one-China principle and consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations.
Wang Yi stated that over 10,000 Swedish companies currently trade with China. China welcomes Swedish companies to further leverage China’s massive market, complete industrial chain, and diversified application scenarios, allowing them to hone their skills in China’s competitive environment and enhance their global competitiveness. China also hopes that Sweden will provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies operating in Sweden. Both sides can make good use of platforms such as the Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation to fully explore potential, strengthen cooperation in emerging fields such as technological innovation, green transformation, and the circular economy, and promote more people-to-people exchanges.
Wang Yi stated that the current international situation is undergoing profound and complex changes, with multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations facing severe challenges, and the world risking a return to the law of the jungle. Both China and Switzerland are supporters of multilateralism and beneficiaries of free trade. We are willing to strengthen cooperation with Switzerland to jointly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core, uphold the international order based on international law, and work together to address global challenges such as climate change.
Stinagall stated that the Swedish government highly values its relations with China, and the two countries jointly celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations last year. The current state of Swedish-Chinese relations is positive, with increasing exchanges, continued progress in practical cooperation, and enormous potential for bilateral relations. Sweden’s adherence to the one-China policy remains unchanged, and the country is willing to strengthen dialogue with China at all levels, leverage the joint committee mechanisms on bilateral trade, economy, science and technology, and other fields, and expand cooperation in areas such as trade, green transformation, environmental protection, technological innovation, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. Sweden positively appraises China’s visa-free policy for Sweden and looks forward to expanding academic, educational, and people-to-people exchanges with China to consolidate the foundation of friendly public opinion. In today’s world, fraught with instability and uncertainty, Sweden is willing to strengthen communication with China, uphold the principles of international law and multilateral trade rules, and promote world peace, development, and prosperity.
The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.
: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China