Wang Yi Meets with Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt of Norway

2022-09-22 15:00

On September 21, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York.

Wang Yi said, pragmatic cooperation between China and Norway has made positive progress in recent years. Last year, bilateral trade increased by nearly 40 percent year on year. Free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations have entered the final stage, and a new version on avoidance of double taxation will soon be signed. In the face of world changes and chaos, stability and confidence are more important than gold. The two sides should respect each other and treat each other as equals, increase understanding and eliminate misunderstanding, maintain the sound momentum of sound and stable development of China-Norway relations, strengthen exchanges at all levels, and promote pragmatic cooperation to achieve more results. China is ready to work with Norway to strengthen communication and coordination in the United Nations and other multilateral institutions and jointly practice true multilateralism.

Huitfeldt said that the Norwegian side is pleased that the two sides have overcome the pandemic and continued to advance bilateral relations. Norway and China have great potential for cooperation in such areas as climate change response, economic transformation, renewable energy, and green development. Norway looks forward to speeding up FTA negotiations and continuing to conduct constructive cooperation with China.

Wang Yi expressed, China has played an important role in promoting the conclusion of the Paris Agreement. China will continue to show its responsibility as a major country and shoulder its due responsibility for the future of humanity. We stay committed to the path of green, low-carbon, and sustainable development, and have set two ambitious goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality to achieve the largest reduction in carbon emission intensity in the world. We vigorously develop renewable energy, with electricity generated by wind and solar power ranking the first worldwide, as well as the world's largest production and sales of new energy vehicles. Developed countries are expected to honor their commitments and provide financial, technological, and capacity-building support to developing countries.

Huitfeldt said that Europe is deeply worried about the current situation in Ukraine and hopes that China will play an important role. Wang Yi expounded on the principled position of the Chinese government and stressed that what President Xi Jinping has proposed that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be fully observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously, and all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be supported is the fundamental guide for China in dealing with the Ukraine issue. The international community should support all efforts conducive to peace, and cope with the challenges brought by the spillover of the crisis to world economic recovery. China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace talks in its own way.