The official visit by parliamentary presidents from all of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) countries except Denmark is being coordinated by the president of the Finnish parliament, Maria Lohela. The visit is scheduled for 7–11 January.

The Nordic and Baltic parliamentarians have worked in recent years to promote shared interests and values internationally. Previously, the parliamentary presidents have travelled to countries including Ukraine, Georgia and the United States in order to foster closer dialogue between the NB8 group and legislatures in other countries.

The NB8 is a regional collaboration among Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden at government and parliamentary levels.

“The Nordic-Baltic countries all form part of the same region and share democratic values and many of the same challenges. In an international context we are relatively small, but together we represent a substantial regional force. Close cooperation therefore comes naturally to us – also beyond our own region,” says Olemic Thommessen, the President of the Storting.

A common approach

The objective of the joint visit to China is to strengthen dialogue between the Nordic-Baltic parliaments and the Chinese National People’s Congress.

“Our visit to China is an opportunity to share information with one another, thereby helping to promote closer coordination and a common approach to important international issues,” says Mr Thommessen. “This is important in the current climate of fast-moving changes and major regional and global challenges, such as the situation in Ukraine, the tension on the Korean peninsula and Arctic questions.”   

The programme includes a meeting with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhang Dejiang. In the city of Chengdu, the parliamentary presidents are also scheduled to meet officials from a number of provinces, including Sichuan and Yunnan.

“During the visit we will have opportunities to discuss a variety of matters with our Chinese hosts, including the importance of multilateral institutional cooperation, collaboration on climate and the environment, regional peace and security and human rights and democracy,” says Mr Thommessen.  

Furthering dialogue with China

In December 2016 the relationship between Norway and China was normalised, both politically and diplomatically.

“Good relations between the parliaments play an important role in the work of developing the Sino-Norwegian relationship,” says Mr Thommessen, adding that interaction with China in broader contexts, like that of the Nordic-Baltic region, serves also as a complement to Norway’s bilateral relations with China.