Björn Jerdén – The shooting star of Swedish research on China

Sweden is really just a supporting actor on the big geopolitical stage. The positions of the Scandinavian state are rarely discussed. But Sweden, like Germany, has trade policy interests. The relationship with the People’s Republic of China has also become increasingly complex – for example, with the arrest of Swedish citizen and bookseller Gui Minhai in Thailand six years ago. “Local politicians like to talk about opportunities and challenges with regard to China relations,” says Björn Jerdén. He is the director of the Swedish National China Centre and an expert on China.