ANALYSIS: China wants to show who decides

The case of the imprisoned Swedish-Chinese book publisher Gui Minhai has created frosty relations between Sweden and China. The Swedish demand for his release has been teasing the Communist Party hardliners for four years.

The fact that Gui Minhai now receives Swedish PEN's prize in the presence of the Minister of Culture has caused the Chinese beaker to run over.

There are similarities to China's conflict with Norway when the regime critic Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Peace Prize in 2010. Liu Xiaobo was jailed, sentenced to eleven years in prison for overthrowing activities since he signed a manifesto for increased democracy in China.

China protested and terminated diplomatic relations with Norway. Meetings between Chinese and Norwegian ministers were canceled, cultural events were stopped and trade was affected.

After six years of frozen relations, the Norwegian government gave in and relations were normalized.

Chinese Ambassador Gui Congyou is one of the prime representatives of the authoritarian and increasingly offensive foreign policy pursued by President Xi Jingping. The ambassador has actively criticized the Chinese media's Chinese surveillance and has also expressed threats to people who were involved in the case of Gui Minhai.

Since Gui Congyou's accession at the end of 2017, relations between the countries have greatly deteriorated. Following a placement in Russia, Sweden is the first ambassador to his diplomatic career.

SVT News can now reveal that the Chinese ambassador has been called for calls on Foreign Affairs 40 times. The content of the talks is confidential and it is unclear if the figure applies to his entire tenure in Sweden.

However, he claims that he has been called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 60 times in 2018. In a written comment to SVT Nyheter emphasizes that he is working to "develop the friendly relations" with Sweden.

SVT News has also been able to reveal the remarkable actions of the Chinese ambassador in conjunction with the UN Conference on Human Rights in Stockholm earlier this year. By putting pressure on the UN, he stopped the event, and a Swedish minister was canceled on a few hours' notice. Following demands from the opposition, there was a new extension of the Cabinet secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a so-called "sincere conversation".

The events clarify the strength relationship between the countries. China wants to show its growing importance on the world stage - preferably towards a small and cocky country that constantly chats about respect for human rights.

Everyone protects good business relations with the economic power of China. The threat of consequences for Sweden and the Swedish government speaks a clear language. It shows who is the most powerful.