【By Guan察者网, Zhang Jingjuan】One year saw a jump of three ranks, with a 42% growth rate setting the highest in the global market — at the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), Norway's seafood trade performance was particularly eye-catching: China has officially become Norway's third-largest seafood export market.

At the Norwegian pavilion, what attracted more attention than salmon was a brown "national cheese": With the signing of the dairy market access agreement between China and Norway, this 150-year-old Norwegian "local specialty" has officially opened the door to China, paving the way for a "second growth curve" in bilateral trade.

"The potential of the Chinese market is truly not to be underestimated," said Norwegian Ambassador to China Vebjørn Dysvik to Guan察者网. In 2025, Norway's seafood exports to China reached 9.37 billion yuan, not only achieving a "three-step leap" from the sixth position last year, but also becoming the "fastest-growing market" among its top ten export markets with nearly a 50% increase.

Calculated by Norway's per capita population, this export scale is already considerable, but Dysvik pays more attention to the deeper potential of the Chinese market: "Imagine, if every Chinese person started to consume large amounts of Norwegian cheese, that would be an extremely huge demand."

Norwegian Ambassador Vebjørn Dysvik, Guan察者网

What makes Norwegian seafood stand out?

This outstanding achievement is no coincidence. According to Hanne-Berit Brekken, State Secretary of the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, stable institutional environment and strict quality control are key, and constructive cooperation between China and Norway has enabled Norwegian high-quality seafood from cold waters to efficiently reach Chinese consumers' tables.

"For Norwegians, seafood is not just a commodity, but also part of our identity. For centuries, we have lived by the sea and relied on it for survival. Protecting the ocean has long been a responsibility we were born with," said Ambassador Dysvik, pointing out that the key to Norwegian seafood standing out is one word: "quality". From the pure fjords and vast seas of Norway to the dining tables of Chinese consumers, quality runs through every link of the entire supply chain.

Professor Gao Zhikai, Chair Professor at Soochow University and Deputy Director of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), gave a more optimistic forecast on China-Norway seafood trade at the agriculture forum of the Hongqiao Forum. He said that Sino-Norwegian relations are currently at their best historical stage, and Norway's policy autonomy as a non-EU member will bring more flexibility to their cooperation, and China is expected to become Norway's largest seafood market in the future.

Norwegian Seafood, Guan察者网

Cheese New Chapter: Localized Exploration of "Caramel Flavor"

While seafood trade continues to lead, Norway has extended its cooperation to the agricultural products sector. During the CIIE, the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food formally signed an agreement with China's General Administration of Customs, allowing Norwegian brown cheese to be exported to China, marking a milestone step in Norwegian dairy product exports to China. This special product, known as "caramel cheese", became the most anticipated "new star" at the Norwegian pavilion.

"It has a history of over 150 years, and its ingredients are very clean, consisting only of whey, milk, and cream," Bose Wong, Regional Manager (Greater China) of TINE, a national Norwegian cheese brand, told Guan察者网. The caramel color and sweet taste of the cheese do not come from added sugar, but from the natural conversion of lactose during the heating process of whey.

This unique flavor has created diverse eating methods in the Japanese and South Korean markets: shaved into fine strands and sprinkled on croissants, or mixed into ice cream to add layers. However, facing the Chinese market, TINE is conducting more detailed localized exploration.

Bose Wong revealed that the team found a strong demand for additive-free cheese sticks among Chinese parents. "We have developed small brown cheese sticks with high protein content and no sugar or preservatives, which perfectly meet this need," he said. Although it will take about three years before they enter Chinese supermarkets, the CIIE has become a "fast track" for market preheating. "This is our fourth time participating, and each year the scale has been larger than the previous one. Many core distributors have been introduced at the CIIE," said Bose Wong.

Bose Wong, Regional Manager (Greater China) of TINE, Guan察者网

With the dual mission of upgrading seafood and breaking through with cheese, Norway's participation this year has set a new record in the scale of participating companies. Ambassador Dysvik said that the establishment of the national pavilion is not only to consolidate cooperation with old partners, but also to build bridges for new partners. "The Chinese market is crucial for our local enterprises. It is not only about exports, but also an indispensable important position for Norwegian enterprises to 'produce in China and serve the Chinese market' and 'produce in China and radiate to the European market'."

In addition to food trade, in-depth cooperation in areas such as shipping and seafood processing is also being advanced. Dysvik mentioned that China and Norway have formed a solid foundation for cooperation in four core areas, which will become engines for future growth.

From the glacial meltwater of fjords to the exhibition stands at the CIIE, from salmon and sea trout to brown cheese, Norway is knocking on the door of the Chinese market with a more diversified product matrix, and the CIIE has become the most vivid witness of this transoceanic cooperation.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7571071173656723995/

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