BEIJING: President Xi Jinping and Finnish President Alexander Stubb lauded the development of the China-Finland relationship over decades during their talks in Beijing on Tuesday, and agreed to deepen practical cooperation as well as expand people-to-people exchanges for greater progress in bilateral ties.
Stubb, who took office in March, started his four-day state visit to China on Monday, which marked the 74th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Finland was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic ties with China and the first Western country to sign an intergovernmental trade agreement with China.
Xi said that China and Finland have respected and trusted each other over the years, setting a fine example of state-to-state relations that transcend historical, cultural and institutional differences.
The economic ties between China and Finland are robust, with Finland currently being China’s third-largest Nordic trade partner and China being Finland’s largest trade partner in Asia for several consecutive years. Last year, the two-way trade volume reached $8.2 billion.
Xi told Stubb that China welcomes Finland to actively participate in China’s modernization drive and to expand cooperation in emerging industries such as green transition, the digital economy and new energy.
He also announced China’s decision to implement a unilateral visa-free policy for Finland, saying that more Finnish friends are welcome to start businesses, travel and study in China.
Noting that both China and Finland are peace-loving nations that advocate multilateralism and free trade, Xi called on the two countries to jointly address issues such as climate change and the governance of artificial intelligence, in order to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world.
Recalling his meeting with Xi in 2009, Stubb said the world was a very different place back then, and China has grown in the past 15 years in a way that was unimaginable for many.
The Finnish president said his country adheres to the one-China principle and values China’s important influence and its stabilizing and constructive role in international affairs.
Noting that China and the European Union are closely interconnected in terms of economy, Stubb said the “decoupling and disruption of industrial and supply chains” or a new Cold War would not serve the interests of any party.
Finland is willing to play an active role in promoting the smooth development of EU-China relations, he added. The two leaders also exchanged in-depth views on issues including the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Xi said that China is ready to make joint efforts with Finland and other relevant parties to continue working for a peaceful settlement. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
