The Norway Pavilion at the ninth China International Import Expo in Shanghai  Photo: Courtesy of the Norwegian Seafood Council

Norway on Friday unveiled a new target to increase its seafood exports to China to 20 billion yuan ($3 billion) by 2035 at the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, underscoring the long-term importance of the Chinese consumer market to Norwegian exporters, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC).

China is an important trading partner for Norway, and seafood is an important pillar of bilateral trade relationship, said Cecilie Myrseth, Norway's Minister of Industry and Commerce. "It is important to further strengthen cooperation and connections across the seafood value chain and respond to the evolving needs of Chinese consumers, and I look forward to promoting Norwegian businesses in China this week," said the Norwegian official.

The announcement came as China rose from Norway's third-largest seafood export market in 2025 to its second-largest in 2026, with Norwegian seafood exports to China recording strong growth during the first nine months of the year, according to the NSC.

From January to September 2026, Norwegian seafood exports to China reached 158,230 tons, valued at around 8.3 billion yuan, up 15 percent in volume and 26 percent in value year-on-year, according to the NSC. The growth in export value was the second-fastest among Norway's top 15 seafood markets.

The new target builds on an earlier plan introduced in 2017, which aimed to raise Norwegian seafood exports to China to 10 billion yuan by 2025. By the end of last year, exports had reached 8.5 billion yuan, achieving 85 percent of the target. The NSC attributed the shortfall partly to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and exchange rate movements.

With exports continuing to grow in 2026, the NSC expects to reach the original 10 billion yuan target this year. Under the new "Target 2035" initiative, the Norwegian industry council plans to increase investment in the Chinese market, expand cooperation with Chinese industry partners and strengthen promotional activities to reach more consumers.

"From the 'Target 2025 Plan' to the new 'Target 2035', our confidence in the long-term potential of the China market remains strong. This is not a journey we intend to take alone," said Sigmund Bjørgo, China Director of the NSC, noting that the council will continue to invest in the China market and work closely with their Chinese industry partners to achieve "Target 2035."

China's seafood market offers considerable room for further growth. In 2025, China imported 4.5 million tons of seafood valued at 145.3 billion yuan, while imports of salmon products grew by 50 percent, according to the NSC.

The expansion of modern retail, e-commerce and instant delivery services is also making Norwegian seafood more accessible to Chinese consumers.

"China's seafood market is undergoing continuous evolution, with consumers paying increasing attention to freshness, health value, convenience, and value for money," Yao Qifei, vice president of the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance, said, noting that this trend brings new opportunities to the industry, driving companies to develop products that better fit diverse consumption scenarios and meet differentiated needs.

Beyond salmon, cold water prawns represent another promising category, with China already serving as Norway's largest export market for the product, according to the NSC.

The new export target also comes amid further progress in bilateral seafood trade cooperation. Recently, China and Norway signed a new protocol to expand market access for Norwegian wild-caught seafood, creating additional opportunities for Norwegian exporters to enter the Chinese market.

The agreement, signed by China's General Administration of Customs and the Norwegian Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Fisheries, establishes a framework for Norwegian wild-caught seafood exports to China, according to a separate statement provided by the NSC to the Global Times.