Dynamics of Nordic-Asia Relations Post Finland and Sweden’s Accession to NATO

Finland and Sweden’s security policy aligns with the priorities of the United States as members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In this context, the evolving attitudes of Nordic business and policymakers towards China are of particular significance, which show a shift in priorities and values that enables other Asian stakeholders to assume a more prominent position. In their policy guidelines, both Finland and Sweden recognize China as a key trading partner and support transatlantic cooperation with China, particularly for joint climate change initiatives. At the same time, they emphasize the need for deeper understanding of economic and political developments in the Indo-Pacific. This includes fostering collaboration with India and highlighting the region’s importance to NATO’s agenda and the Nordic countries’ security policies. The Nordic participants supported the prescriptive language on China in the Washington Summit Declaration of 2024. In line with NATO’s joint communication, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson acknowledged that further retaliatory measures against China may be forthcoming.: ‘It is clear that there must be consequences’, he said, and that ‘< … >we will be closer to a situation where the EU should act more forcefully towards China’.