Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide in Beijing on Tuesday.
China regards Norway as an important and stable European partner, noted Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
China hopes that Norway will continue its positive, stable, pragmatic and rational policy toward China, he said.
Wang called on both sides to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, to respect each other's core interests and accommodate each other's major concerns, and to continue pursuing openness and win-win cooperation.
China is willing to work with Norway to uphold multilateralism together, oppose decoupling and severing supply chains, and promote a more just and equitable international system, he added.
Norway firmly adheres to the one-China policy, said Eide. He noted that as a leader in Europe's green transition, Norway fully opens its market to Chinese electric vehicles and adopts a zero-tariff policy. Norwegian companies are optimistic about the Chinese market and look forward to expanding investment and cooperation with China, he said.
Eide added that China's Global Governance Initiative is highly compatible with Norway's vision, and that Norway is willing to work with China to uphold the spirit of the UN Charter and support a rules-based multilateral trading system.
Both sides agreed to strengthen alignment of their development strategies, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as trade, maritime affairs, green development and innovation, and foster a stable business environment for enterprises from both countries.
Regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip, both sides agreed that the ceasefire agreement should be effectively implemented, and the international community, particularly countries with influence over the conflicting parties, should provide the necessary support for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire.
Both sides called for support to strengthen the authority and governance capabilities of the Palestinian Authority.
Chinese FM holds talks with Norwegian counterpart
The torch relay for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games began on Saturday morning in Rome, marking the start of a two-month journey ahead of next year's opening ceremony.
The launch ceremony was held at the Stadio dei Marmi, an open-air arena lined with Roman-style statues next to Rome's Olympic Stadium.
At around 09:50, Giancarlo Peris, the final torchbearer of the 1960 Rome Games, brought the flame onto the launch stage. A torch was lit with the flame, and Giovanni Malago, president of the Milan-Cortina 2026 organizing committee, lit the cauldron with it.
The first torchbearer, Italy's Olympic champion Gregorio Paltrinieri, lit the relay torch from the cauldron and then ran a half-lap around the stadium to cheers from spectators, officially starting the relay.
Italian fencer Elisa Di Francisca and high jump Olympic champion Gianmarco Tamberi followed as the second and third torchbearers and completed their relay segments inside the stadium. Tamberi performed a torch kiss with the next runner, Achille Polonara, who carried the flame out of the stadium to begin the route through the city.
The relay will traverse 12,000 kilometers over 60 days across Italy, pass through more than 300 municipalities and feature celebrations in 60 cities, reach all 110 Italian provinces, and light up UNESCO sites along the route.
More than 10,000 torchbearers from all walks of life will take part in the relay, including figures from sectors of sports, culture, film and civil society.
The flame will see Christmas in Naples, New Year in Bari, and return to Cortina d'Ampezzo on January 26, 2026, the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Winter Games opening ceremony. The relay will conclude on February 6 at Milan's San Siro Stadium.
Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games' organizing committee, said the torch relay will strengthen the spirit of peace and hope for humanity.
"Our torch will pass through all cultural heritage sites. So along the way, we'll see both our nation's historical landmarks as well as natural landscapes. But what matters most are the people who embrace the torch as a symbol of peace and hope. Athletes and ordinary citizens carrying the Winter Olympics torch will carry the spirit all the way to Milan," he said.
Torch relay for Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games starts in Rome
Torch relay for Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games starts in Rome
