China, Finland to expand ties

President Xi Jinping meets with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Tuesday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY)

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.

After their talks, Xi and Stubb witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents covering areas such as education, environmental protection and the circular economy, and issued a joint working plan to advance the China-Finland future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership.

Wang Yiwei, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of International Studies and director of the university's Institute of International Affairs, said this is the first time that a Finnish president is visiting China since the Nordic country officially became a NATO member last year.

Wang noted that Finland and some European countries are looking forward to learning from China's experience in green transition and the digital economy, given the country's remarkable achievements in recent years.

"The two sides enjoy great potential for cooperation in environmental protection and climate response," he said.

On Tuesday, Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, also met separately with Stubb in Beijing.

Vice-President Han Zheng and the Finnish president attended the 5th China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation Meeting in Beijing, along with more than 100 government and business representatives from the two countries.

During his trip, Stubb will make a stop in Shanghai, where he will visit Fudan University and attend a business summit, among other things.

The last time a Finnish president visited China was five years ago. In 2019, then president of Finland Sauli Niinisto led a Finnish delegation to Beijing.