If winter comes, can spring be far behind?--Interview with the Chinese Embassy in Sweden

“I believe that good expression should be based on facts, on universal human morality and shared values, with goodwill to promote understanding, and in a way that the audience can understand.” -ZHANG Biao, the charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sweden

The Garden of the Chinese Embassy in Sweden,
Courtesy of WANG Fangke, attache of the Chinese Embassy in Sweden.

As the charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sweden, can you share some views on cross-Strait relations?

The cross-Strait relations not only affect the feelings of Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, but also attract the attention of the international community. As the Chinese Embassy in Sweden, we are also aware that recently voices in Sweden have increasingly discussed cross-Strait relations. Some of them are objective and rational, while some are contrary to basic facts and completely wrong.

The basic fact regarding cross-Strait relations is the One-China principle. That is, there is only one China: the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory. The one-China principle is now a universal consensus of the international community. Sweden is one of the 180 countries worldwide that have established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and all of them, without exception, adhere to the one-China policy.

The basic fact regarding cross-Strait relations is the One-China principle. That is, there is only one China: the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory. The one-China principle is now a universal consensus of the international community. Sweden is one of the 180 countries worldwide that have established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and all of them, without exception, adhere to the one-China policy. 

Under this premise, the issue of cross-Strait relations is a domestic affair of  China, and therefore there is no legitimacy for any other countries to interfere in Taiwan affairs on any pretext. The current tension and turbulence across the Taiwan Strait are rooted in the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) authorities’ "Taiwan independence" stance, and their collusion with external forces in their constant provocations for "independence" in order to destroy China sovereignty. We are willing to create a wide space for peaceful reunification, but we will never leave any room for any form of "Taiwan independence" secession. 

Sweden was the first western country to establish diplomatic relations with China on the basis of equality and mutual respect of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and adhering to practices of international law and order, Sweden has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Thus the so-called “Taiwan mission in Sweden” is just an office that can only engage in economic, trade, and cultural exchanges. The person in charge of this organization, who is always calling himself an "ambassador", is engaged in activities that are incompatible with his position and status. His words and actions are contrary to the one-China policy of the Swedish side and it is kind of misleading people.

Finally, I would also like to emphasize that the issue of cross-Strait relations has complex historical causes and that the status quo of incomplete reunification across the Taiwan Strait is a trauma left by history to the Chinese nation. It would be irresponsible and disrespectful if one were to hastily express some one-sided views without sufficient understanding of the issue, which would hurt the feelings of peace-loving Chinese people on both sides of the Strait.

What do you consider are the factors that lead to a lack of mutual understanding among people in different countries?

Each country has its own unique historical experiences, cultural traditions, and development patterns, and these can lead to stereotypes. Take my own experience as an example, I first learned about Sweden in high school when I read a book called "Desirée’s Diary", in which the Swedish Queen could not stand the cold Swedish winters and lived in France for a long time. From then on, my image of Sweden was of the freezing cold and lack of sunshine. It was only when I moved to Sweden four years ago that I realized that Swedish winter is usually warmer than winter in Beijing and that the sunshine duration throughout the year is among the highest in Europe.

There is an old Chinese saying that "seeing is believing”, meaning that it is better to see for oneself rather than to hear many times. I hope that people of both countries can have more chances to communicate, to visit each other's countries more often, so that they can overcome “stereotypes” and get more comprehensive and objective knowledge of each other, thus laying a good foundation for friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

From the professional view of diplomacy, what do you think leads to better expression in cross-cultural communication?

This is a good question because it is actually a great challenge for diplomats all over the world. In my view, good expression should be based on facts, on universal human morality and common values, with goodwill to promote understanding, and in a way that the audience can understand. In recent years, the Chinese Embassy in Sweden has endeavored to introduce a real and comprehensive understanding of China to Swedish society. In the future, we will continue doing this, and we are glad to hear more good suggestions from Swedish society.

Could you express your thoughts on the most ideal China-Sweden/EU relationship?

As two countries with different histories, cultures, social systems, and stages of development, China and Sweden also have some divergences. The Embassy will always make it a priority to deepen bilateral friendship and promote win-win cooperation. An ideal Sino-Sweden relationship should follow the original aspiration of establishing diplomatic ties and transcend differences in social system and ideology. Hopefully, we can seek common ground while putting aside divergences under the principle of mutual respect and equality, and finally realize a mutually beneficial friendship based on the fundamental interests of people in the two countries.

Can you briefly talk about the “Belt and Road Initiative”?

The "Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) is an important cooperation platform for Chinese diplomacy in the new era. Although BRI originates in China, the opportunities and achievements will belong to the whole world. It operates under the principle of joint contribution, extensive consultation, and shared benefits, and is committed to high-quality development. BRI has been widely welcomed by the international community. At present, China has signed more than 200 cooperation documents with 140 countries and 31 international organizations to jointly build the “Belt and Road”. It is open to all like-minded friends and does not exclude or target any party, so all countries in the world are welcome to participate.

Sweden (as well as Nordic countries) is currently not participating in the “Belt and Road” at the national level. Can you talk about the possibility of Sweden's participation in this cooperation in the future?

According to my understanding and observation, Sweden shows a strong interest in BRI. The Sweden Minister for Infrastructure attended the Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation in China. Also, a number of Swedish think tanks have conducted objective studies on BRI. For example, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has published specific studies about it. The Chinese and Swedish economies are highly complementary, so there is plenty of potential for cooperation. I believe that the cooperation between China and Sweden on the “Belt and Road” will grow and bring more benefits to the people of both countries.

The pandemic has interrupted the normal pace of exchanges between Asia and Europe, which may lead to a counter-globalization trend. What’s your comment on that?

I believe that this view is incorrect. The impact of the pandemic on exchanges among countries and regions is only temporary and will eventually pass. Globalization is a historical process that does not depend on the will of humans and represents the direction of development. The current phenomenon of counter-globalization in the world is just a temporary pause in progress, which cannot reverse the pace of globalization. Take Sino-European cooperation as an example, bilateral trade between China and Europe grew despite the pandemic in 2020, reaching €586 billion, making China the EU's top trading partner. Here, I would like to quote the famous English poet Shelley, "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" After the cold winter of the pandemic, globalization is bound to go further, and as we seize the opportunity, new opportunities for cooperation around the world will certainly bloom again.

Over the past two years, our embassy has supported Sweden in efforts to combat the pandemic with sincere hopes that all regions around the world will overcome the pandemic soon. On the one hand, we have maintained close contact with the relevant Swedish institutions and actively built a platform for scientists from both countries to carry out exchanges and cooperation on pandemic prevention. Furthermore, we have also donated some protective equipment to Swedish hospitals and nursing homes. A professor from Lund University wrote to me that the medical equipment from China has greatly helped to protect local health care workers in Skåne from infection and I believe this will enhance relations between the two countries.

What is your typical day in the embassy?

The embassy’s mission is to promote mutual understanding and to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, which motivates our daily work. In my case, I am in regular contact with my counterparts in the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs to exchange views on issues of common interests. Actually, I always start my daily work by viewing the twitter of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Another responsibility of ours is to explore more fields that two countries can learn from each other. Examples include the general plan for the eco-city of Hammarby, the relocation of an entire city in Kiruna, ecotourism in the Swedish national parks, and so on. All these practices are interesting and inspiring. These practices also echo the efforts to protect biodiversity in China. For instance, the "Wild Elephant Journey" in Yunnan also attracts attention in Swedish and international media's continuous coverage, and we feel very warm and proud of this.

In addition, I also contact friends from all walks of life in Sweden to deepen mutual understanding. In the evenings after work, I do some indoor or outdoor activities, such as jogging and playing table tennis.

When the world emerges anew from the pandemic, what are your recommendations for those preparing to visit China?

Of course, Beijing is the primary recommendation. Beijing is the political and cultural center of China, where you can enjoy the combination of modern and ancient China. To experience modern sites, you can visit the Bird's Nest (National Stadium), the China World Trade Center, or enjoy the night view of Chang'an Street. For the ancient part, you can visit the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the Summer Palace, or walk around the streets and hutongs (the traditional neighborhood alleys).

I would also like to recommend my home province, Sichuan. The Qingcheng Mountains and Dujiangyan Dam in Sichuan are beautiful, and the Leshan Buddha and Mountain Emei in my hometown of Leshan are both natural heritage sites. For transportation, you can enjoy the scenery along the way in the fastest high-speed train( at 350km/h) in the world. Especially when traveling to Sichuan by high-speed train, outside lies the treacherous landscape described as “蜀道难,难于上青天”.（The road to Shu, so steep, steeper than to Heaven. By LI Bai, a poet in Tang Dynasty）

What about local dishes?

According to different regions, there are eight major local cuisines in China, and each has its own typical characteristics. Among them, Jiangsu Zhejiang cuisines are more similar to Swedish cuisines. Personally, I prefer Sichuan cuisine. It is suited to the hot and humid climate of the Sichuan region. Sichuan cuisine is very spicy and umami. It’s represented by hot pot, double-cooked pork, spicy chicken, and Mapo Tofu.

How about baijiu?

Absolut Vodka from Sweden is very popular among Chinese consumers. Similarly, China's Moutai baijiu is world-renowned. Moutai is a traditional Chinese specialty baijiu with a history of over 800 years, and it is complicated to make so the output is limited. One other kind of baijiu, Erguotou, is also popular, representing a classic Beijing flavor. I highly recommend that you try Swedish cheese with Chinese baijiu, but remember drink responsibly:) .

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