China sets heavy price for 'Salmon Queen' return
China is demanding the equivalent of almost £9m for the return of a Norwegian citizen convicted of salmon smuggling seven years ago.
Although born in China, Yimin Dong is now a Norwegian citizen and approaching her 60th birthday.
She was sentenced to 13 years in 2018 for allegedly smuggling salmon into the country through Vietnam and Tibet.
At the time Norwegian salmon was banned from being sold in China for political reasons.
Dong has always protested her innocence and since then the Norwegian authorities and her family have been trying to get her to complete her sentence in Norway where prison conditions are far less harsh.
Her health has deteriorated. Her family fear it will only get worse and they have said she may die in jail.
She had carried out work for SalMar in the past but the company has always maintained she was not doing so when she was arrested.
According to the national broadcaster NRK, China has told the family that the cost of returning her to Norway is some NOK 120 million plus other costs.
It was thought there might be some movement when Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre visited China last year. He was expected to ask the authorities to have her transferred back to Norway to finish her sentence, but it appears no progress was made.
NRK has said it has since gained access to a letter dated September this year which shows that the Chinese Ministry of Justice has rejected release back to Norway.
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