The Norwegian minister of Trade and Industry Mr. Trond Giske is set to embark on a 10-day visit to China between the 21st and 31st of May. The minister’s program, which centers on Norway Day at Expo 2010 Shanghai also includes visits to Beijing, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Suzhou and Chongqing.
In Beijing, Mr. Giske will meet with the Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Mr. Li Yizhong. The minister will also attend the launch of the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra’s China tour at Century Theatre.
Expo 2010 Shanghai is now well underway with between 15 and 25.000 visitors daily to the Norwegian pavilion. Mr. Giske will be present to mark Norway Day, which will be held at the Norwegian pavilion on the 28th of May, along with distinguished guests such as HRH Crown Prince Haakon. In addition, Mr. Giske will attend the Maritime Summit organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. This will also be held at the Norwegian Expo pavilion.
The program in Shenzhen and Guangzhou relates closely to corporate social responsibility, and Mr. Giske will meet with the Guangdong government to discuss innovation and energy efficient solutions. Giske will promote exchange within the IT, maritime and seafood sectors while he is in the region. In Chongqing, Mr. Giske will attend Norway days, a set of cultural and business related events organized by the mid-Norwegian county Sør-Trøndelag and Chongqing.
The busy and extensive visit is a clear demonstration of the close and growing Sino-Norwegian cooperation in many fields. It is also indicative of the opportunities attached to Expo 2010 Shanghai. The ongoing FTA negotiations between Norway and China will naturally also be one of the main topics. In June the eighth round will be held in Oslo, Norway.
