Norway's energy minister was in Beijing Thursday, becoming the first Oslo official to visit China since a spat over the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize last year to a jailed Chinese dissident.

Oil and energy minister Ola Borten Moe attended an alternative energy conference in the Chinese capital, signalling a possible thaw in frosty relations between the two countries.

China cancelled political dialogue with Oslo and suspended talks on a free trade pact after dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded, in his absence, last year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Despite the diplomatic spat, business relations between Norway and China have continued to prosper.

Chinese science and technology minister Wan Gang welcomed Borten Moe to a discussion by global energy ministers about carbon capture, which was also attended by US Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

Borten Moe later said there had been no friction in the run-up to his visit.

"No matter what's happening in China, it's of great interest to follow the development, to know what the Chinese government is thinking and doing when it comes to carbon capture," Borten Moe told AFP.