– This is a soup, says mayor Magnus Mæland (H) in Kirkenes. He refers to the government’s China policy. Is trade or national security more important? The government’s various ministries disagree about China, the mayor claims. – The problem is that the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries says one thing, while the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness says another. In the meantime, the prime minister is traveling to China, says mayor Magnus Mæland (H). Recently, news wrote that the port authorities and the mayor of Kirkenes have opened up to cooperation with the Chinese shipping giant Cosco, despite the Norwegian security authorities shouting warnings. The port manager in Kirkenes, Terje Jørgensen, says he is struggling to get Prime Minister Støre’s ear. – I asked for talks with the prime minister at least twice when Støre has been in Kirkenes, but he has not had time to meet me, says Terje Jørgensen. – Without clear signals from the government, we will not progress, says Kirkenes port manager Terje Jørgensen. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news Who can answer? news has tried to find out what Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) thinks about Kirkenes welcoming the state-owned shipping giant. Is it a challenge for national security in the north, or does he only see positive aspects, as he said when he discussed the sea route plans earlier this year? And what does he think about this ahead of his upcoming trip to China to talk about trade, among other things? After several rounds of calls and e-mails to Støre’s communications staff, news received the following reply: “It would be nice if you contacted the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries in this matter”. news also sent an interview request to Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap), but without success. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) has not commented on Cosco’s interest in Kirkenes. The picture was taken on another occasion. Photo: Mats Rønning / news news then made direct contact with Minister of Industry and Trade Cecilie Myrseth (Ap), but she referred him on to the Minister of Fisheries. “This specialist area is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to answer,” Will received from the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries. The Prime Minister will not answer. The Minister for Foreign Affairs will not answer. The Minister of Industry will not answer. Finally, news received a short comment from Fisheries Minister Marianne Sivertsen Næss (Ap) via e-mail: “The Ministry of Industry and Fisheries is concerned with dialogue with business. Norwegian players must be confident that we want trade with China, but at the same time increased vigilance is required to safeguard Norwegian interests. The government has a good dialogue with actors in Sør-Varanger about the foreign and security policy development in the northern areas,” she writes in an e-mail. – Not a fishing issue! Several opposition politicians are strongly critical of Prime Minister Joans Gahr Støre (Ap) after news has presented the communication with the government. – This is not a fishing issue! This is a security issue. That must be answered by the Prime Minister. They must show that this is taken seriously, says Ola Elvestuen (V). – The Prime Minister must ensure that Cosco’s interests do not enter Kirkeneshavn, he adds. Former Foreign Minister Ine Søreide Eriksen (H) also thinks the answer is too bad. – It is surprising that the government cannot have a clearer, unified line. – We must be very aware that the Chinese interest in Kirkeneshavn is not about the development of Sør-Varanger municipality, but it is exclusively about Chinese interests, she says. Former foreign minister Ine Søreide Eriksen (H) says that the government should give clearer signals to China. Photo: Amanda Iversen Orlich / news Rasmus Hansson from the Green Party (MDG) says that “the government continues to speak with two tongues about China”. – They say, as is true, that China is the foremost security threat to Norway next to Russia, and a regime with frightening policies and goals. The consequence of that should be great caution towards state-controlled Chinese companies, he says and adds: – At the same time, the government still talks as if China should be a regular trading partner. Believes there is an increased need for clarity Researcher Kåre Dahl Martinsen at the Norwegian Defense Academy is also not impressed by the government’s response. – After asking both Prime Minister Støre, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade, the Minister of Fisheries has been made to come up with an answer that is really completely meaningless, says Martinsen. He believes this is a typical Norwegian way of meeting the need for clarification on China issues. – The problem is that you have a political leadership that either refuses to answer anything, or they come up with vague statements such as that it requires vigilance. The government members do not dare to say anything about that matter at all, and just pass it on like a hot potato, says the professor. The management in Kirkenes havn is calling for a clear answer from the government on whether Cosco can establish itself in the port. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news Martinsen says that the increasingly “tense situation” in world politics requires “clear boundaries for what we do and don’t do” in cooperation with China. He says there are many western countries that have set clear boundaries for cooperation with China, and points to some examples of this: In Germany, the government has said no to several acquisition attempts, while in Great Britain the government has demanded that China sell out of strategically important companies . This summer, two Chinese spies were expelled from France. – The only ones who have not done so are Hungary, Serbia – and obviously also Norway. However, in Kirkenes, Port Manager Jørgensen in Kirkenes denies that the Port of Kirkenes is negotiating cooperation with Cosco. He describes the talks with the Chinese player as dialogue. Published 02.09.2024, at 18.04
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Kirkenes receives conflicting advice about China and Cosco. “This is a soup,” says the mayor. – news Troms and Finnmark
