Norway s Prime Minister Visits

Norway s Prime Minister Visits

By Li Han

Staff Writer of the Tsinghua News Center

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway visited Tsinghua on March 27.

Tsinghua President Gu Binglin welcomed Mr. Stoltenberg. The two exchanged ideas on climate change, energy saving, and environmental protection.

Mr. Stoltenberg delivered a speech entitled International Cooperation on Climate Change in the Main Building. Tsinghua Vice President Chen Jining hosted the speech.

You have a unique opportunity and mission, said Mr. Stoltenberg to the seated students, encouraging them to save the global environment for future generations by making technology leaps of unprecedented scale and scope in the future. Nothing is more of a privilege than seeking knowledge with a free mind and keeping pace with the advances of the times, said the Prime Minister.

Mr. Stoltenberg said that he believes Norway and China can both gain from cooperating with each other. A Chinese-Norwegian partnership would be a win-win-situation. He also emphasized the importance of using advanced technology to solve climate change problems.

Mr. Tor Chr. Hildan, Norway s Ambassador to China, and Ms. Chen Naiqing, China s Ambassador to Norway, accompanied Mr. Stoltenberg on his visit.

During his visit, Mr. Stoltenberg also had lunch with some Tsinghua students.

The Prime Minister graduated with a Master s degree in economics from the University of Oslo. He started to shoulder key responsibilities in the government, the Parliament, and the Labour Party in 1990s. He was Minister of Trade and Energy from 1993 to 1996, the youngest member of the cabinet, and Minister of Finance from 1996 to 1997. He became Prime Minister for the first time from 2000 to 2001 and since October 2005 for the second time.

Photo by Guo Haijun