Norwegian politicians may refuse to meet the Dalai Lama during his visit to Oslo next month, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

The hesitation represents an effort to ease tensions with China.

"We need to focus on our relationship with China and should remember that should the Norwegian government meet the Dalai Lama it could become difficult to normalize our relationship with China," Foreign Minister Boerge Brende was quoted as saying on Tuesday by Bloomberg.

There is no final decision on the meeting with the Dalai Lama, he said.

Olemic Thommessen, the speaker of parliament, said yesterday he will avoid meeting the Dalai Lama.

"What I want to achieve is to contribute to improving the relationship with China," the speaker told broadcaster Japanese NRK, Bloomberg reported.

"It's at a freezing point today. Since 2010, Norway has had no political communication with China."

The tensions have also strained trade relations between the two countries, disrupting salmon exports from the Nordic country. 

Global Times