Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström said in a recent interview with Swedish Radio that Sweden, as a small country, lacks the tools to confront China, except through silent diplomacy. Meanwhile, she referred to the case of imprisoned publisher Gui Minhai as a “consular matter”. Her remarks were clearly aimed at the broader Swedish public, in response to the growing pressure on Sweden’s government to take action on Gui’s behalf. Wallström made her statement with the understanding that her remarks would be seen as a capitulation by the leaders in Beijing. With her words, the Swedish government has once again taken a step to neutralize its own power.
