Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt is visiting China on mid-April - a state visit intended to strengthen the Swedish and Chinese economic and trade relations. He will meet with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao as well as President Hu Jintao. It would be the first state visit to China of a Swedish prime minister in twelve years.
It is understandable that bilateral economic and trade issues are a priority on the agenda, considering how China is expanding astronomically in both areas especially in Europe. The importance of this particular issue is evidenced by a strong contingent of 20 to 30 representatives from the Swedish business sector.
On the agenda is also climate and environment technology, which is more or less expected in the light of Sweden's presidency of the European Union in 2009, when the UN negotiates on a new climate agreement, there China plays a key role.
But there is a strong pressure coming from human rights lobbyists in Sweden, in particular the Amnesty International, Swedish Section for the Swedish Prime Minister to take a tough stance against China's human rights record. AI states in particular that Reinfeldt must take up a critical position against forced transfers and detention of human rights activists without due process.
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