00:00Now Erik Solheim is a former Environment and International Development Minister in Norway.
00:06I think this is very significant. Two issues stand out to me.
00:12One is to avoid any sort of trade wars.
00:15Because there is a concern in Europe that China is now so super efficient in any industrial sector that Europe
00:22struggle to compete.
00:23And we should avoid that the European response to that is any sort of protectionism.
00:29But a dialogue with China as to how to overcome difficulties.
00:33And the other is geopolitics.
00:35Of course there is, I think, a very strong concern in the Nordic nations that the historic relationship to the
00:42U.S. cannot continue in the way it was.
00:44The Nordic nations need new allies and new ways of thinking.
00:49Greenland is, of course, very much on everyone's mind.
00:52And in that context, China is a potential long-term partner.
00:58Norway is not an EU member, but is very closely allied with the European Union.
01:04Is there a role for Norway in trying to help ease trade tensions between China and the EU?
01:12In some way it may help.
01:14I mean, for example, Norway has no car industry.
01:17It stands outside the European Union.
01:20So it may be more easy for Norway to import Chinese cars than for some other European markets.
01:26And Norway, of course, now have a 97% penetration of electric cars in the sale of new cars.
01:33So that may be one area where there may be opportunities for Norway to play a role.
01:39But overall, of course, Norway is fully integrated in the European in the market and will abide with major decisions
01:47made by Brussels.
01:49Both China and Norway are leaders in the green energy transition.
01:53Where do you see future opportunities between the two nations in this specific field?
02:01This was, of course, more true 10 years ago than it is today.
02:05I mean, 10 years ago, the Nordic nation may even have been ahead of China.
02:09Now, of course, China is far ahead of the Nordic nations when it comes to the green energy.
02:14China may be 95% of all solar panels, 70% of all batteries.
02:20The six largest wind energy companies in the world are all Chinese.
02:25So the Nordics now have a lot to learn from China.
02:29And the Nordics need Chinese equipment if we want to turn green faster.
02:34I mean, there's no nation in the world can go green fast now without China.
02:38But this, of course, create difficulties.
02:39There's a huge European trade deficit with China, I think.
02:46But the obvious solution is more European export to the Chinese market and more partnership, more joint ventures in Europe,
02:53where Europe get access to Chinese top quality and technology in the green sectors.
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