The press release from the meeting between Støre and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi gives the impression of small talk. But Reuters’ account paints a very different picture. Here Støre is putting pressure on China so that China, in turn, will put pressure on Russia.

Two worlds are being described. NTB quotes Støre.

– It is important that we have good dialogue with China in a turbulent time. Norway wishes to further develop co-operation in areas where it is in our interest. It is also important that we can talk about issues on which Norway and China hold different views, says Støre in a press release from the Government.

NTB has no account of the press conference, but Reuters does, and there Støre said:

“China is probably the country with the best and most direct access to the Russian leadership. We expect, hope and strongly encourage China to make use of this channel,” he told journalists after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Oslo. The largest part of the conversation concerned Ukraine, Støre said.

“There is potential for deeper co-operation between Europe and China, but as long as this war continues and China is a close partner of Russia, there is a limitation on that possibility,” he added.

Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said earlier on Monday that the dialogue with China on ending the war had been “constructive and promising”.
“I am not a spokesman for China. I shall not quote them, but there are some hints in what they say,” he said when asked whether China had indicated that it would help bring Russia to the negotiating table.

Norwegian authorities said that negotiations should begin without preconditions, based on a ceasefire along the current front line in Ukraine.

“That is in itself a major concession on Ukraine’s part. It lies within their territory,” Støre said.

Wang was visiting Norway after having been in Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

The Chinese summary of the meeting did not mention Russia, but focused instead on co-operation in trade and green technology.

The “expectation” that China should put pressure on Russia stretches the diplomatic blanket a long way. There is no evidence that China is looking in that direction.

Støre is part of a group of European states that wish to force Russia to its knees through drone warfare and rearmament. Contracts are being signed left, right and centre. There is nothing to suggest that these states are preparing for negotiations. On the contrary.

Moscow has registered this signal, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says they are closely monitoring what comes out of the NATO meeting in Ankara.

By contrast, Støre said, strikingly enough given Wang Yi’s high-ranking position, that Norway regards China as a security challenge. Could it have been the espionage at Andøya that he had in mind?

– Although in many areas we benefit from co-operating with China, China represents a growing security challenge for Norway. We are therefore exercising increased caution towards China for reasons of national security, and are working closely with allies to reduce vulnerabilities, including dependence on Chinese actors, says Støre.

It sounds almost as though Støre is not only a Russia hawk, but also a China hawk.