Anna Lindstedt was thirty years old when she was admitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs diploma education in 1990. After five years as a journalist, she was ready for a career change and the desire to get out into the world.

At a rapid rate, she received foreign placements at the embassies in Jakarta and Islamabad. After ten years of diplomatic footwork, she was promoted to a senior position at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs's Asian unit. From there, the road was open for ambassador jobs.

She became an ambassador to Vietnam for three years and then worked in Mexico for five years, when the drug war raged completely.

Speaks five foreign languages

"An experienced, competent and strong person." This is how she is described by several foreign colleagues with whom SVT News has been in contact. In addition to English and French, according to her CV, she also speaks Spanish, Italian and Indonesian fluently.

Intense climate negotiations

For her efforts as Sweden's chief negotiator at the Paris 2016 climate summit, she received France's knighthood, the Legion of Honor.

As an ambassador to Beijing, Anna Lindstedt was given responsibility for one of Sweden's largest and most important foreign authorities with 60 employees. Half a year after her entry, in June 2017, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven came on official visit. Several agreements were signed with Swedish companies, including with Chinese businessman Kevin Liu.

A brochure about Kevin Liu's company MiniSv contains a picture of Prime Minister Löfven and Swedish Ambassador Anna Lindstedt, who applaud a collaboration between Liu and Tord Svedberg, CEO of Smart cities. Photo: From a brochure about Kevin Liu's company MiniSv

Kevin Liu hosted the meeting with Angela Gui, the daughter of imprisoned Swedish book publisher Gui Minhai, at a hotel in Stockholm in January.

According to anonymous and credible sources, there has been harsh criticism of how Anna Lindstedt has acted as manager. In the inspection carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the embassy, ​​rows of changes in the units' way of working and communicating with each other are proposed.

Foreign Minister Inspector Ingemar Dolfe calls for more support and guidance for the staff of the embassy's management, according to his memorandum that SVT News took part in.

Three-year assignment

According to a government decision signed by Foreign Minister Margot Wallström, Anna Lindstedt received a three-year assignment as ambassador to Beijing in 2016, which lasted until August 31, 2019. The assignments as ambassador normally run for between three and five years.

But Anna Lindstedt was asked to leave her post in Beijing early, already after just under two years, according to data in DN. The reason is said to have been criticism of her handling of the case with the publisher Gui Minhai.

Wanted to continue in Beijing

Anna Lindstedt refused to shorten her assignment and continued her work in Beijing until November 2018, when she accepted the job as Agenda 2030 Ambassador, taking office in March 2019.

In anticipation of the new service, Anna Lindstedt continued to have contact with the Chinese businessmen and with China's ambassador to Sweden, which culminated in the mentioned meeting with Gui Minhai's daughter Angela in Stockholm January 24-25.

The picture to the left shows Anna Lindstedt, Sweden's then ambassador to China together with businessmen Kevin Liu and John Meewella. In the picture to the right, Anna Lindstedt is seen together with Gui Congyou, China's ambassador to Sweden, who stands next to Kevin Liu. The pictures were taken in connection with the meeting in Stockholm with Gui Minhai's daughter. Photo: Excerpt from John Meewella's Twitter account

Anna Lindstedt welcomes a legal process and has denied through her defense attorney that she has committed a crime.