On January 14, 1950, Sweden's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Osten Unden made history when he sent a telegram to Zhou Enlai, Premier of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

"The Government of Sweden is prepared to establish diplomatic relations on the basis of equality, mutual respect, and established practices of international law," read the message.

In May of the same year, Sweden became the first Western country to formally recognize the People's Republic of China and establish diplomatic relations.

This year marks 75 years since then and celebrations have been held throughout the year to mark that moment.

At one such event in Stockholm held by the Chinese Embassy, Ambassador Cui Aimin said, "We are here to commemorate this historic moment in Sweden-China relations. Together for 75 years, our shared efforts have borne rich fruits.

"Together our two countries have written a beautiful chapter of mutual achievements and common development."

Economic collaboration

The theme of the event was '75 years of friendship' and reference was made to Chinese companies which have invested over $11 billion in Sweden, creating 27,000 local jobs, while around 10,000 Swedish companies trade with China.

"China is by far the most important market in Asia for Swedish companies," said Ulf Pehrsson, chairman of Sweden-China Trade Council, in a recent interview with Xinhua news agency.

In 2024, bilateral trade between China and the EU reached $785.8 billion, supporting an estimated three million local jobs, data showed.

This year at the giant China International Import Expo (CIIE) annual trade fair held in Shanghai, Sweden is the guest of honor, a nod to the 75-year anniversary.

Belen Frau, IKEA Global Communication Manager, said: "We really want to grow with the country and also show the world what China is up to and the opportunities there are in China. That's why we are an interested partner, and we want to be with China together in the journey of opening up to the rest of the world."

Energy partnership

China-Sweden green energy projects are ramping up too. The establishment of a China-Sweden working group on green transition investment earlier this year was widely viewed as both strategic and timely, as Europe is working towards its ambitious goal of 42.5 percent renewable energy of total energy consumption by 2030.

Specific examples include a partnership between local firm SaltX Technologies and Chinese manufacturer NSECT to commercialize a solar thermal storage system, SunCool, now produced at scale in eastern China. The project contributes to Sweden's green transition by offering an innovative solution for clean heating and cooling.

Hussein Askary, vice chairman of the Belt and Road Institute in Sweden, said that sectors like clean energy, where China has clear competitive advantages, should be regarded as opportunities for collaboration between the EU and China rather than competition.

Diplomatic ties

The Rosenbad building in the center of Stockholm is the seat of the Swedish government and was chosen as the venue for crucial trade talks between China and the U.S. in late July, reflecting the importance of the city for international relations.

There the Chinese delegation's lead negotiator He Lifeng met with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, both committing to cooperation, multilateralism, and free trade.

Sweden opened a door to China 75 years ago, now both nations continue to build on that long-lasting relationship, diplomatically, economically, and culturally.

By Ken Browne

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