A message from Consul General Lise Nordgaard:
Dear Norwegian community in Shanghai. During the last weeks we have experienced an outbreak of Covid-19 in Shanghai, where cases have increased steadily, and neighborhoods have been shut down. On 28 March Shanghai east of Huang Pu River (Pudong) entered into a full lockdown and on 1 April the rest of the city (Puxi) followed. This has disrupted the daily life for everyone in Shanghai drastically. Upcoming events and social activities, also for the Consulate General, have been cancelled, postponed, or transformed into digital events.
The Consulate General is still open, but during the lockdown in Puxi, we are working remotely from home. Our main focus is to provide urgent consular assistance to Norwegian citizens. For such assistance, you may contact the Consulate by email cg.shanghai@mfa.no.
The Visa Section and the VFS Global’s Visa Application Centre in Shanghai are closed until 5 April. No regular visa applications will be received during this time, but in case of an emergency, you may contact the Consulate General by email to visum.shanghai@mfa.no. You can always find the current status of the Consulate General's opening hours on our webpage.
The current crisis is handled by the Chinese authorities. However, I would like to share with you that we have raised our concern with the Shanghai authorities the many challenges that members of our expat communities faces as a consequence of the ongoing lockdowns in Shanghai.
The last week we have experienced that access to the two international airports of Shanghai City has been a problemt for many travellers. If you are in a similar situation, reach out to the Consulate, and we will do our utmost to assist.
I sincerely hope that you all – the Norwegian community in Shanghai and in the surrounding provinces – stay safe and healthy during this challenging time. The saying goes Everything has an end. I firmly believe this also goes for the pandemic. I look forward to the End of lockdown and for us to be able to meet each other in person.
Har du planer om å søke om nytt pass?
Thales, leverandøren av norske pass, melder om råvaremangel og redusert produksjonskapasitet. Råvaremangelen skyldes pandemien og krigen i Europa. Situasjonen rammer Norge og flere andre europeiske land. Vi ber derfor søkere som allerede er i besittelse av et annet lands pass, og som ikke umiddelbart har behov for norsk pass, om å vente med sin søknad til høsten 2022.
Upcoming activities:
6th of April: Webinar: Sanctions & Export Control
Norwegian Business Association China together with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in China invites to a Webinar where Wikborg Rein, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Legal Department and Business Sweden will decipher the Norwegian, EU, UK and US sanctions and their implications on businesses. The focus will also be on the ability to comply with them alongside with China's anti-sanctions law. The current situation on export control and hidden risks concerning the US Entity List will be discussed as well.
Date and time: 6 April, 3.30pm-4.45pm GMT+8
Price: Member exclusive event / Free for members
Venue: Online on KUDO platform. Meeting link will be sent to all participants two days prior to the event.
You can find a detailed list of topics and how to register here.
7th of April: Nor-Shipping satellite event in Shanghai
On 7 April, The Consulate General will host a webinar as a satellite event of Nor-Shipping which will be held in Oslo 4 -7 April, 2022. Representatives from China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry and Chinese Wind Energy Association will present insights on China's shipbuilding industry, offshore wind- and maritime sector. Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre-Asia will introduce policies under the context of decarbonization in China. Guest speakers will also share their insights on potential businesses opportunities for the Norwegian maritime industry.
Information on how to sign up will come soon.
8th of April: Fredagspils
Klubb Norge invites to the monthly Friday beer at Cotton’s, 132 Anting Road at 18.00. Due to the current Covid-19 situation in Shanghai, the event might be postponed.
15th of May: Klubb Norge’s celebration of Norway's National Day
Klubb Norge will host their annual celebration of Norway’s National Day on Sunday 15th of May at Emerald. More information and how to sign up will come soon.
Previous highlights:
International Women’s Day breakfast panel held in Shanghai
To mark the Women's Day on 8 March in Shanghai, the Consulate General supported a breakfast panel organized by Green Initiatives, joined by an audience of 60+. Four women from different professions gathered to discuss how to improve gender equality in corporate spaces. Therese Trulsen, Norwegian senior lawyer living in Shanghai, was one of the panelists who shared her experience from the Norwegian business sector.
Film screening of Løvekvinnen
Green Initiative, supported by the Consulate General, organized a film screening of the movie Løvekvinnen in March. The movie is adapted from author Erik Fosnes Hansen’s novel Løvekvinnen from 2006, and is directed by Vibeke Idsøe. The protagonist is born with a condition which gives her excessive hair growth over the entire body, and she strives to overcome the societal prejudices and discrimination she meets due to her different appearance. After the screening there was a discission among the audience members, about the importance of diversity and inclusion. Deputy Consul General Hedda Skandsen shared how Norway strives to promote equal opportunities regardless of gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, and disabilities. Sustainability Director of Nextracker Sarah Albert discussed how equality and inclusiveness is an important part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Norway-Zhejiang Greentech Webinar
24 March, the online version of Norway-Zhejiang Greentech Seminar was co-organized by the Consulate General, Innovation Norway, Zhejiang Department of Science & Technology and Foreign Affairs Office of Zhejiang Provincial Government. Six Norwegian companies (Smart Innovation Norway, Cambi AS, Doscon AS, Cubility AS, Ocean Sun and Johnsen Chemical) presented their sustainable and innovative technologies ranging from waste management to water treatment. Around 4000 people watched the livestream. The Greentech Webinar provided a great platform to exchange green innovations and technologies between Norway and Zhejiang.
Opening of new Norway Visa Center in Nanjing
The new Norway Visa Center in Nanjing was officially opened on Wednesday, 2. March. Local applicants in Jiangsu no longer have to travel to Shanghai when applying for Schengen visa or residence permit, and VFS Global are providing all the services onsite. Consul General Lise Nordgaard and the visa section at the Consulate was there to mark the opening.
Visit to Nanjing University
Consul General Lise Nordgaard visited Nanjing University in March, where she was greeted by Vice President Mr. Zhenlin Wang, and the Director of China-Nordic Cultural Centre Professor Chengzhou He. Nanjing University established the China-Nordic Culture Centre in 2009. Every other year they organize an Ibsen conference for scholars, and have previously arranged the Ibsen Play Festival. As a member of the Chinese Marine University Consortium, Nanjing University has also been committed to developing the bilateral academic collaboration in marine and maritime fields within the framework of China-Norway Marine University Consortium Alliance. The Consulate look forward to continuing our collaboration with Nanjing University.
Recipe Inspirations for Home Cooking During Lockdown
The Norwegian Seafood Council has published a list of several delicious and healthy recipes, all including sustainable Norwegian seafood, for inspiration for home-cooking during lockdown.
The link can be found here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/2Rds7zG4o_ycYnX2iHXuOQ
PS: Click on the name of the dish to enter the full recipe.
Andreas Thorud’s Interview With World Market
Andreas Thorud, Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) in Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, conducted an interview with a Chinese economic journal World Market, sharing his insights on the current status of Norway-China seafood trade, growth of key Norwegian seafood species, Chinese consumer trends, and future marketing promotion plans. You can read the full interview here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/0KoIIZr-gyobHsIbTsI5Pg
Stay updated on what we do at the Consulate General by following our social media accounts:
LinkedIn: Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Shanghai
Instagram: norwayinshanghai
Weibo: 挪威驻上海总领事馆