Nordic News, Business and Life in Asia
Reports have surfaced that 17 individuals in Sweden, including a Stockholm University professor, are linked to a Chinese influence organization known as the United Front. This revelation comes from TV4’s …
Swedish figures allegedly linked to Chinese United Front Read More
Last week, we reported that Saxo Bank closed its office in Hong Kong, but were unable to obtain a statement. Yesterday, Saxo Bank A/S, the Denmark-based trading platform, officially announced …
Saxo Bank explains Hong Kong closure Read More
The Swedish Military is back on the popular Chinese social media platform TikTok, the Swedish armed forces writes in a press release on their website. There are several reasons why …
Swedish military back on TikTok Read More
Denmark has achieved visa-free travel to China, a development announced by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This decision follows Norway’s recent arrangement for similar access, marking a new chapter in …
Denmark Gains Visa-Free Travel to China Read More
Former Finnish Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi warns of societal impacts stemming from the escalating China-EU trade tensions. Speaking at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s annual conference in Uzbekistan, Kiviniemi emphasized …
Former Finnish PM warns about dangers of China-EU trade tensions Read More
IKEA is opening smaller, more convenient stores in China to better meet customer needs as the economy slows and competition grows. The company has already started testing these smaller formats …
IKEA expands with smaller stores in China Read More
The Danish government’s controversial proposal to allow the import of medication from several Asian countries, such as Thailand, India, and China, has stirred a significant debate that reaches beyond Danish …
Danish government considers medication imports from Asia, including Thailand and China Read More
Danish PM: Hold China accountable for aiding Russia Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called for China to be held responsible for supporting Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine. …
Danish PM: Hold China accountable for aiding Russia Read More
On September 23, the Nordics for Climate Action and Shanghai Climate Week announced a series of sustainability events aimed at engaging the public in climate innovation. The events will run …
Nordic sustainability events launched in Shanghai Read More
The Norwegian government is now intervening to bring home Yimin Dong, a Norwegian citizen and former top seller of Norwegian salmon in China, who has been imprisoned there for over …
Norwegian government seeks transfer for ‘Salmon Queen’ imprisoned in China Read More
Denmark-based Saxo Bank, headquartered in Copenhagen, announced plans to close its offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai. It will also scale back operations in Tokyo, according to Nikkei Asia. The …
Saxo Bank close Hong Kong and China offices Read More
Finland will return two giant pandas, Lumi and Pyry, to China in November, eight years earlier than planned, citing high upkeep costs, according to The Straits Times. The pandas, brought …
Panda duo in Finland going back to China due to rising costs Read More
Danish King Frederik X expressed his hope for strengthened ties between Denmark and China during a ceremony on September 19, 2024, where newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador Wang Xuefeng presented his credentials. …
Danish king hopes for growing friendship with China Read More
Several international brands are successfully navigating the challenging Chinese market, with a particular focus on premium offerings. Finnish-Chinese owned company Amer Sports, which owns the outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx, reported …
Finnish owned brand find growth in China despite consumer caution Read More
Viking Cruises, the Norwegian cruise line, has launched its first luxury coastal cruise for international tourists in China. This marks a significant investment in the country’s booming travel sector. On …
Norwegian cruiseline launches luxury China tour Read More
The SVT documentary series Veronica and the Chinese Millionaire has gained significant attention among Chinese-speaking audiences after the Canadian YouTube channel M2Story released a Chinese summary of the series. Ray …
Veronica Lin documentary gains massive attention in China Read More
Three Chinese businessmen arrived at Power’s headquarters in Glostrup, Denmark, expecting to finalize a major electronics deal with CEO Jesper Boysen. However, they soon learned they had been deceived by …
Three Chinese businessmen fall victim to Danish CEO impersonation scam Read More
Tourists in Beijing can now navigate the city’s massive subway network with greater ease. As of September 13, international credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are accepted at subway …
Beijing subway now easier for tourists as Norway joins China’s visa-free list Read More
Danish shipping company Mærsk has broken an internal ban on shipping through Russia. Mærsk admits the mistake to ShippingWath. The company Shanghai Tieyang Multi-Model Transportation (TMT) Co. Ltd., in which …
Shipping company Mærsk breaks internal ban on routes Read More
Norway’s frozen cod exports to China have surged through late summer, while the EU has increasingly relied on farmed cod to address a sharp decline in fresh wild cod imports. …
China boosts Norway’s frozen cod imports as EU shifts toward farmed supplies Read More
Swedish fashion retailer H&M and Shanghai Fashion Week will launch a new collaborative collection with independent Chinese designer brand Garçon By Garçon, featuring womenswear, menswear, unisex apparel and accessories pieces …
H&M and Shanghai Fashion Week launch collaborative collection Read More
The Embassy of Denmark in Beijing and the Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai have both closed today, September 16, 2024, due to the approaching Typhoon Bebinca. The typhoon is …
Denmark and Finland close diplomatic offices in China due to Typhoon Bebinca Read More
Swedish retail giant IKEA and its sister company Ingka Centres are ramping up their expansion in Asia with two major projects. This month, Ingka Centres, IKEA’s sister company, is opening …
IKEA expands in Asia with new projects in Shanghai Read More
The European Commission has rejected proposals from Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers to adjust their prices in an attempt to avoid steep tariffs. The tariffs follow a months-long investigation led …
EU rejects Chinese EV price adjustments, raising trade tensions Read More
In a milestone for Arctic shipping, two Chinese container ships, Flying Fish 1 and NewNew Star, recently crossed paths just 750 nautical miles from the North Pole, showcasing the increasing …
Historic first: Chinese container ships cross paths in Arctic waters, marking growth in Northern Sea Route shipping Read More
In a joint statement, China’s Premier Li Qiang and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre agreed to establish a dialogue on the green transition. The statement, which was signed by …
China and Norway agree on green dialogue Read More
China and Norway are set to strengthen ties in green energy, with Chinese President Xi Jinping expressing willingness to promote “friendly” cooperation during a meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas …
Norwegian Prime Minister and Chinese President promotes green energy cooperation Read More
The ScandAsia magazine for September 2024 is out now. To download the issue as pdf file: Click Here You can also read the magazine online here: Read Online Subscribe to ScandAsia …
ScandAsia Magazine September 2024 Read More
China now grants Norwegian citizens visa-free entry for up to 15 days. Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, announced the new policy after his meeting with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, …
China boost tourism: Norway 15 days visa-free entry and 144-hours visa-free stays for other countries Read More
Several Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers are moving production to Europe. This is in response to the European Union’s increased import tariffs on EVs made in China. The EU’s new …
Chinese EV manufacturers shift production to Europe in response to EU tariffs Read More
Denmark’s Parliament has approved the use of facial recognition technology by police. This decision aims to enhance the efficiency of investigating serious crimes. Denmark’s move comes as China, a pioneer …
Denmark approves facial recognition despite Chinese challenges Read More
The Swedish-rooted, Chinese-owned company Volvo has scaled back its electric vehicle ambitions, announcing Wednesday that it will no longer aim to produce only electric cars by 2030. The company also …
Volvo lowers electric vehicle targets and profit goals Read More
A new study from Roskilde University has uncovered a significant connection between air pollution and increased infertility risk among Danish men. According to the research, for every 5 micrograms per …
Air pollution linked to infertility risk for Danish men, China in similar concerns Read More
Five AstraZeneca employees have been detained by Chinese police, according to Bloomberg News. The arrests are part of an investigation into the illegal import of cancer medication into China. AstraZeneca …
Several AstraZeneca employees arrested in China Read More
China has prohibited the adoption of Chinese children by foreign families, according to a statement from the country’s Foreign Ministry. The only exception to this ban is if the adoptive …
China bans international adoptions Read More
Amid rising geopolitical tensions, many investors are withdrawing from China. However, Norway’s $78 billion pension fund, KLP, is pursuing a different strategy. Instead of pulling out, KLP has increased its …
Norwegian KLP boosts efforts with Chinese mining firms Read More
Electric vehicle sales in Denmark are soaring. In August alone, 55% of all new car registrations were fully electric. This marks a significant milestone for the Danish market. However, Chinese …
Chinese brands struggle amid surge in Danish electric vehicle sales Read More
The Norwegian tourism industry is pleased with the increasing number of Chinese tourists exploring the country independently. This trend was emphasized during the “Chengdu, More Than Pandas” promotion event in …
Norwegian tourism welcomes surge in independent Chinese travelers Read More
The Danish Embassy in the Philippines has expressed support for the European Union’s condemnation of recent aggressive actions by Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the South China Sea. The incident …
Danish Embassy supports EU condemnation of South China Sea aggression Read More
China’s growing “luxury shame” among the middle class is leading to a significant drop in sales for global luxury brands, as reported by Frédéric Cho, a Swedish expert on China …
Swedish expert links China’s ‘luxury shame’ to declining sales and cultural parallels Read More
The Norwegian Police Security Service states that China has an increasing interest in Svalbard, Svalbardposten writes. In its national threat assessment for 2024, the Norwegian Police Security Service writes that …
Norwegian Police Security Service: China’s interest in Svalbard grows Read More
A man in his 30s, accused of espionage on behalf of China, has resigned from all his positions within the Norwegian Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet). The man was arrested by the …
Spy Suspect resigns from positions in Norwegian Labour Party Read More
A controversial incident on a Chinese domestic flight from Guiyang to Shanghai has made headlines after two female passengers took the drastic measure of locking a crying child in the …
Passengers lock crying child in airplane toilet on domestic flight in China Read More
Helsinki’s tourism income surged by 25% last year, totaling around 1.5 billion euros. This growth is impressive, especially given the loss of Russian tourists and a decline in visitors from …
Helsinki’s tourism income soars 25% despite fewer Asian visitors Read More
Carlsberg Group, the Danish brewing multinational, has officially opened its latest brewery in Foshan’s Sanshui District, Guangdong Province. The new facility, with an annual capacity of 500,000 kiloliters, marks a …
Carlsberg Launches New Brewery in South China Read More
In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Europe scrambled to reduce its dependence on authoritarian regimes for energy. The European solar industry, long overshadowed by China’s dominance, hoped for …
Denmark faces challenges as China dominates solar industry Read More
A groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Turku has highlighted the significant mental health challenges faced by adolescents in both Scandinavia and Southeast Asia, with a focus on school …
New study shows significant mental health challenges in both Scandinavia and Southeast Asia Read More
Security measures have been intensified at the Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) energy conference in Stavanger, Norway, due to heightened concerns over potential espionage threats. The Norwegian Police Intelligence Service (PST) …
Norway enhances security at offshore energy event amid concerns over China espionage Read More
Norwegian DJ Alan Walker has garnered attention in Vietnam after a surprise visit to replace a bike stolen by someone wearing his signature hoodie. The theft, which was widely shared …
DJ Alan Walker replaces stolen bike in Vietnam after ‘Rogue Walker’ incident Read More
A Norwegian citizen, who was arrested in July on suspicion of espionage, will be released, according to Norway’s Police Intelligence Agency (PST). Despite the release, the charges against him remain, …
Norwegian spy suspect released: China denies involvement Read More