Norway recognized the People's Republic of China on January 7, 1950, and established diplomatic relations with China on October 5, 1954. In 1979, Vice Premier Geng Biao visited Norway, which was the first visit by a Chinese leader to Norway. In the 1980s, the heads of the two governments made exchange visits for the first time. After the 1990s, exchanges and cooperation in various fields between the two countries developed rapidly. From October 2010 to December 2016, China-Norway relations hit a low point due to the Nobel Peace Prize. On December 19, 2016, Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende visited China. The two governments issued a joint statement on the normalization of bilateral relations, and China and Norway normalized their ties. 

In April 2017, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg paid an official visit to China. In October 2018, King Harald V paid a state visit to China. In May 2019, Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, visited Norway. In April 2022, Chairman Li Zhanshu held a video meeting with President of the Storting(Norwegian Parliament) Masud Gharahkhani. In the same month, Premier Li Keqiang had a telephone conversation with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. In September 2024, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre paid an official visit to China.

Economy：China is currently Norway's largest trading partner in Asia. In 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached US$10.18 billion with a year-on-year increase of 31.7%.

Culture: In 1963, China and Norway signed a cultural cooperation agreement. In 2009, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation. In 2007, Beijing Foreign Studies University started the major of the Norwegian language. The two countries signed memorandums of understanding on sports cooperation in 2003 and 2017.

Science and Technology: In 2008, China and Norway signed an intergovernmental science and technology cooperation agreement, and in 2010, the first China-Norway Science and Technology Cooperation Joint Committee was held. Niels Christian Stainses, former president of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences, was awarded the 2019 China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award. In 2004, China's first Arctic scientific research station, the Yellow River Station, was built in the Spitsbergen Islands (also known as Svalbard) of Norway.

Environmental protection: The environmental authorities of China and Norway have had long-term friendly cooperation, and signed memorandums of understanding on environmental cooperation in 1995, 2008, and 2022 respectively. The Norwegian Government is a long-term partner of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development. In 2007, the National Development and Reform Commission of China signed a memorandum of understanding on climate change cooperation projects with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme. In 2008, the two countries signed the Framework Agreement on Climate Change Cooperation and Dialogue between China and Norway.

By the end of 2024, 7 pairs of provinces/cities have established friendly relations between China and Norway.