Sweden summons Chinese ambassador over criticism

Sweden's foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador for talks on Tuesday over his repeated criticism of the Scandinavian nation and alleged intimidation of the Swedish media.

Relations between Sweden and China have been strained for several years over Beijing's detention of Chinese-born Swedish citizen Gui Minhai, who published gossipy titles about Chinese political leaders out of a Hong Kong book shop.

Sweden has repeatedly called for his release.

A foreign ministry spokeswoman on Tuesday refused to disclose the specific issues that would be raised.

Chinese ambassador Gui Congyou in November threatened "counter-measures" after the culture minister awarded a Swedish rights prize to Gui Minhai.

Two business delegations to Stockholm were subsequently cancelled.

In an interview at the weekend on Swedish television SVT, he said of Sweden's critical media coverage of China: "It's like a 48-kilo lightweight boxer picking a fight with an 86-kilo heavyweight boxer, and the 86-kilo boxer out of courtesy and goodwill tells the 48-kilo boxer to mind his own business."
China's embassy published a statement denying SVT's report, saying: "We express discontent over the distortion of facts."