Trade relations with China were among the most important items on the agenda.
Speaking at a makeshift press briefing outside the Foreign Ministry in central Stockholm, Malmer Stenergard told the TT news agency that the EU is more united now than before regarding its trade relationship with China. The statement comes against the backdrop of the EU's 27 member states pushing for a tougher policy to reduce China's trade dominance within the bloc.
"We are united in the view that we must achieve a level playing field. The EU is also prepared to take measures to accomplish this. It is vital that our Swedish companies can compete on equal terms globally," Malmer Stenergard told the TT news agency.
China has positioned itself as a potential peacemaker in the Ukraine war. At the same time, the country stands accused of supporting Russia economically in its warfare and of training Russian soldiers – an accusation the EU recently levelled against Beijing.
The war in Ukraine was a key issue raised by the Swedish foreign minister during the meeting with Wang Yi, though no clear progress was achieved in the discussion. Malmer Stenergard declined to comment on the response she received.
"But it is obvious that we have two different views on the matter," she said.
Sweden's demand for the release of the Swedish-Chinese publisher Gui Minhai was also a prominent point during the day's meeting. Minhai, who was detained in 2015 on charges of "providing intelligence to foreign powers", has been deprived of his liberty in China for over a decade.
"We are told that he is in good health. We will continue to work towards his release," Malmer Stenergard said.
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