China and Sweden need face-to-face dialogue to rebuild trust, foreign minister says

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Swedish counterpart that face-to-face dialogue was needed to rebuild trust between the two countries after several years of strained relations, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday. During a meeting in Beijing, Wang expressed hope that Sweden would develop ties with China with an "independent and strategic mindset", according to the ministry statement.

Beijing was willing to expand trade and investment cooperation with Stockholm and implement a visa-free policy for Sweden, Wang said.