Ahead of the award of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize the Norwegian committee responsible for picking the winner was warned by officials in Beijing and Oslo that recognition for any Chinese dissident would have severe consequences. The committee ignored the threat. Liu Xiaobo — a jailed human rights activist who later died — won, and it took six years to repair diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries.
“Chinese authorities worked systematically to stop the award,” said Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute which serves as the administrative arm of the committee. “It was difficult for them to accept that the committee is independent, they sent clear messages and warnings.”