ChinaCourtsNordicCountriesasTradeFrictionsWiththeEUMount

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up a rare tour of four Nordic countries, part of Beijing’s effort to ease rising trade tensions with Europe and stabilize ties strained by the war in Ukraine.

The July 2-7 trip to Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway marked China’s highest-level diplomatic engagement with the region in more than a decade. It underscored Beijing’s urgency to prevent a broader shift in economic ties as the European Union weighs protective measures in response to a widening trade deficit with China.

During the visit, Wang urged European countries to keep markets open and avoid restrictive legislation. He also called on the EU to ease export controls on high-value goods to achieve what Beijing described as an “upward balance” in bilateral trade, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry summary released Tuesday.

“China does not deliberately seek a trade surplus,” the ministry said, urging Nordic companies to make greater use of China’s market and supply chains.

The diplomatic push comes as Europe grows increasingly concerned about trade imbalances and industrial competitiveness. In 2025, Chinese exports to the EU rose 6.4% to about 560 billion euros ($639 billion), extending a pandemic-era surge. EU exports to China fell 6.5% to roughly 200 billion euros.

That pushed the EU’s trade deficit with China to 360 billion euros in 2025, up nearly 20% from 304.5 billion euros in 2024. The gap has intensified debate in Europe over tariffs, import quotas and other safeguard measures.

Beijing has sought to manage the disputes through institutional dialogue. Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and European Commission Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič recently launched a new China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism in Brussels. The talks cover trade balance, export controls, intellectual property and World Trade Organization reform.

Wang Wentao said China is a partner, not the source of Europe’s problems, and warned that restrictive measures would disrupt global supply chains. He urged the EU to avoid escalating trade frictions and to address Chinese concerns over the bloc’s inverter financing bans and new cybersecurity and industrial regulations.

Still, Beijing’s economic outreach faces political headwinds, particularly over China’s deepening strategic partnership with Russia.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre urged Wang Yi to use Beijing’s influence with Moscow to help end the war in Ukraine.

“China is probably the country with the best and most direct access to the Russian leadership. We expect, hope and strongly urge China to use this channel,” Støre said after meeting Wang.

Støre said there is room for deeper European-Chinese cooperation, but added that opportunities would remain limited as long as the Ukraine war continues and Beijing stays closely aligned with Moscow.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide described the Ukraine discussions as constructive and promising. While declining to speak for Beijing, Eide said there were positive signals about China’s potential role in bringing Russia to the negotiating table.

Tian Dewen, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the Russia-Ukraine war has sharply cooled high-level exchanges between China and Nordic countries since 2022. The Russia factor will continue to weigh on ties in the near term, he said, though both sides can still expand cooperation while managing differences.

Wang Yi’s trip marked the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister to Denmark since 2011 and to Sweden since 2004, according to Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning described the tour as an effort to renew friendship, deepen trust and expand consensus.

Beyond trade and geopolitics, the talks focused on green energy and technology. China and the Nordic countries agreed to deepen cooperation in low-carbon transition, the circular economy, green shipping and biopharmaceuticals.

They also agreed to strengthen dialogue on artificial-intelligence governance, with an emphasis on collaborative and human-centered rules. Mao said shared support for multilateralism and green development provides a foundation for more resilient ties amid global geopolitical uncertainty.

Contact editor Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com)