State Secretary Per Kristian Skulberg

Speech for the Chinese Vice-Minister of Cultural Affairs, Mr Ai Qingchun, and his delegation

Ministry of Cultural Affairs, 13 November 1998

Vice Minister

Ladies and Gentlemen

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this lunch. This enables us to resume in a more relaxed manner the interesting conversation we have just had.

Having already spent some days in our country, you may have become acquainted with some Norwegian traditions. One of them is to say a few welcoming words before treating our guests to a meal.

For Norway China is becoming a major partner in East Asia. Several visits on government level between our two countries bear witness to an ever closer relationship between our nations. When the Norwegian government so strongly promotes closer co-operation with China, it is precisely because we believe we too have a lot to learn from increased contact, exchange of experiences and broad co-operation.

Knowledge of other cultures and cultural expressions contributes to stimulating dialogue between individuals and nations. Our art and culture have been formed and developed through interaction, partly between the regional cultures of different areas of the country and partly with impulses from the world outside our borders.

Cultural exchange is thus one important dimension in our relations with China. Our cultural relations go back to 1963, when Norway was the first country in the western world to sign a cultural agreement with China. During recent years, an active cultural exchange has taken place to the benefit of the people of our two countries.

Increased contacts and exchange make us realize we need more insight into the many aspects of your culture: your history, art history, philosophy and not least the Chinese language. We wish to increase our knowledge about the great cultures of Asia which gave the world major religions, philosophical thoughts and the most advanced civilisations.

I am convinced that the programme of co-operation which was signed earlier this week, will be instrumental in increasing that knowledge. It is a renewed commitment to the cultural dialogue between our two countries, and it is a framework to be filled with substance. It is important that Chinese-Norwegian relations are not shaped only by governments, but also by cultural institutions and organisations, universities, private groups and individuals.

Finally, I would like to propose a toast to a bright future for China – and for the friendship and cultural co-operation between China and Norway.