Chinese FM calls on Swedish business community to deepen cooperation with China

STOCKHOLM -- The Wallenberg family and the Swedish business community should continue to play an active role in encouraging the Swedish government to pursue a rational and pragmatic policy toward China, helping the Swedish public gain a true understanding of China and fostering stronger public support for improving bilateral relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with Jacob Wallenberg, chair of the board of Sweden-based Investor AB.

Wang said the Wallenberg family has deep ties with China. As one of the first European consortiums to enter the Chinese market after China's reform and opening up, it has played a pioneering and exemplary role and made unique contributions to China-Sweden relations.

Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping and the CPC, China is following a development path that suits its national conditions and enjoys the support of the people, and is advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts, Wang said.

China's development has strong endogenous momentum and a clear historical logic, Wang said, adding that China will continue to follow the new development philosophy to guide high-quality development, continuously boost domestic demand, expand high-standard opening up, uphold the principles of free trade and the market economy, share development opportunities with the world, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Embracing China means embracing opportunities, and investing in China means investing in the future, Wang said.

He welcomed the Swedish and European business communities, including the Wallenberg family, to further strengthen cooperation with China for mutual benefit and win-win results.

Wang said China and Sweden are currently working to improve mutual trust, focus on cooperation and bring bilateral relations back to the track of sound development, which requires joint efforts from all sectors of both countries.

For his part, Wallenberg said the Wallenberg family entered the Chinese market in the 1970s and 1980s, witnessed firsthand the process of China's reform and opening up, participated extensively in exchanges and cooperation between Sweden and China across various fields, and benefited greatly from the process.

China has achieved remarkable development accomplishments, with its economic competitiveness and international influence continuing to grow, Wallenberg said.

Deepening cooperation with China is crucial for both Sweden and Europe, he said, adding that the Wallenberg family has confidence in China's development prospects and stands ready to continue investing in China, cultivating the Chinese market and integrating into China's development, while making unremitting efforts to promote the sound and steady development of Sweden-China and Europe-China economic and trade relations.