Gui Congyou Interviewed by Swedish Television

On January 8, 2020, Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou (桂從友) was interviewed at the embassy by Swedish Television (SVT) regarding media roles and Swedish coverage of China. The interview, published on January 17, 2020, covered media responsibilities, press freedom, journalist visa policies, and the case of detained Swedish citizen Gui Minhai (桂敏海). Gui outlined three media principles: basing reporting on “objective facts,” promoting “friendship” rather than inciting hostility, and assuming social responsibility. In CCP official discourse, which assumes political control of media for the Party’s needs, “objectivity” refers to coverage aligned with the CCP’s vision rather than criticism of China and its leaders. “Friendship” implies a conditional relationship where criticism is set aside for mutual interests. Gui criticized Swedish journalists for “groundlessly attacking” the Chinese Communist Party and government while refusing to visit China, comparing them to Chekhov’s short story “The Man in a Case” (裝在套子裡的人) — understood as a cautionary tale about voluntary isolation. He confirmed rejecting visa applications from Swedish journalists, stating Sweden lacked “the qualifications and ability to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.”