After the Nobel committee, based in Oslo, Norway, awarded the 2010 prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo (imprisoned on nominal charges of “inciting subversion of state power”), China broke off negotiations for a free trade agreement. The negotiations did not resume until 2016, when the two countries restored diplomatic relations. Norway’s fishing, energy, and telecommunications industries had the most to lose in the suspended trade negotiations. In addition, China blocked Norwegian officials, including a former prime minister, from getting visas for travel to China. The Chinese government also kept Norway off a list of countries whose citizens could travel to and stay in Beijing for up to 72 hours without a visa. All other European countries had been put on the approved list. Diplomatic contacts were not restored until December 2016, when Norway issued a statement effectively apologizing for not supporting Chinese sovereignty over its internal affairs. In the intervening period, the Norwegian government had declined a potential 2014 meeting with the Dalai Lama, who China’s government considers a separatist.