The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Finland on Tuesday issued a joint action plan on promoting the future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership (2025-2029).
Joint Action Plan between China and Finland on Promoting the Future-oriented New-type Cooperative Partnership 2025-2029
Structure
1.Context
2.Joint Action Plan 2025-2029
3.Overall framework
4.Low-carbon development and sustainable growth
- Energy transition
- Circular economy
- Climate, biodiversity and the environment
5.Health and well-being
6.Food, forestry and water
7.Science and technology, education and sports
8.Culture and tourism
1.Context
The People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Finland (hereafter “China” and “Finland” respectively) established diplomatic relations in 1950 and have since maintained friendly and stable relations. In 2017, the two countries agreed on a Joint Declaration on Establishing and Promoting the Future-oriented New-type Cooperative Partnership. In 2019, the Joint Declaration was complemented by a Joint Action Plan on Promoting the Future-oriented New-type Cooperative Partnership 2019-2023, which combined existing memorandums of understanding, plans and objectives between the two countries and functioned as a guidance for practical and result-oriented cooperation in mutually agreed fields.
2.Joint Action Plan 2025-2029
To promote the bilateral relationship, jointly tackle global challenges and achieve clean, low-carbon and sustainable growth, China and Finland will deepen cooperation in areas of genuine interest for both sides. The bilateral cooperation takes place in the wider framework of China-EU relations and is complementary to it. The new Joint Action Plan 2025-2029 focuses on the following areas: Low-carbon development and sustainable growth; health and well-being; food, forestry and water; science and technology, education and sports; and culture and tourism.
Cooperation in these areas will not only bring substantial benefits for China and Finland, but is also globally important. Addressing global challenges, such as environmental degradation and climate change, will contribute to the carbon neutrality goals set by both countries.
The two sides will review progress in the areas of cooperation in 2027 and may propose revising objectives based on the joint review.
The areas of cooperation covered in this Joint Action Plan are not exclusive and do not limit cooperation in other areas in the future, if both countries so decide.
3.Overall framework
Bilateral relations between China and Finland rest on a solid foundation. The two sides are committed to enhancing mutual understanding to ensure the sound and steady development of their bilateral relations. China appreciates Finland’s adherence to its well-established one-China policy.
The two countries reaffirm their unwavering commitment to act in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and its purposes and principles. They reaffirm the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Strengthening multilateralism, safeguarding the international order, with the UN at its core, will remain at the core of the work of the two countries and their missions abroad. The two sides will give their full support to UN processes, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The two sides underline the importance of peace and security.
The two sides will promote high-level mutual visits and dialogue, organize exchanges on the margins of international meetings and conferences, and help strengthen contact and cooperation between the governments and relevant government agencies.
The two sides will continue organizing expert-level meetings to discuss global, regional, and thematic issues, such as peace and security, disarmament, arms control, non-proliferation, nuclear safety and security, human rights, crime prevention, climate change, trade and sustainable development.
Trade and investment forms an important part of the bilateral relationship. Economic and trade talks will cover, but will not be restricted to, market access issues, investment review, regulatory issues affecting enterprises, questions related to level playing field, and any other topics considered relevant. China and Finland will conduct Joint Economic Committee meetings at regular intervals, and continue to support bilateral trade and two-way investment, especially in areas which this Joint Action Plan focuses on.
The China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation, which was set up in 2017, promotes business opportunities and dialogue between Chinese and Finnish enterprises.
4.Low-carbon development and sustainable growth
China and Finland recognize low-carbon development as a primary subject in their bilateral cooperation. Building on the existing cooperation on clean, low-carbon and sustainable growth, both countries are actively seeking solutions to combat climate change in line with the objectives, principles and norms set in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement and their respective nationally determined contributions. The two sides will also take concrete actions to pursue sustainable growth with public-private cooperation. In addition to relevant ministries and central authorities, regional and local authorities as well as knowledge institutions are recognized as key stakeholders in driving low-carbon initiatives. Consistent with this, priority areas chosen for bilateral science, technology and innovation cooperation are climate change, carbon neutrality, circular economy and health.
Collaboration in low-carbon development and sustainable growth focuses on three main areas as stated in this chapter.
Energy transition
Building on the existing energy cooperation, competent authorities of China and Finland will enhance policy dialogue and technical exchanges and encourage innovation. The cooperation focuses on the fields of clean energy, smart energy networks, district and industrial heating and cooling, energy efficiency of buildings, as well as energy technology innovation. The use of non-fossil sources for energy production is one of the focus areas in bilateral energy cooperation. The two sides will carry out policy dialogue through the China-Finland energy cooperation working group, continue the joint R&D, promotion and commercialization of innovative energy technologies in both countries, and promote exchanges and cooperation between their enterprises, think tanks and other entities.
Circular economy
China and Finland recognize the important significance of circular economy in improving the efficiency of resource utilization, addressing the growing demand of virgin raw materials and promoting sustainable growth. The two sides agree to deepen their cooperation on the existing good basis, continue exchanges in policy, technology and investment and financing projects, and organize mutual visits and matchmaking events between Chinese and Finnish enterprises and stakeholders interested in circular economy solutions. They will encourage adopting new circular economy solutions and policies in various sectors, including construction, packaging, textile industry and waste management.
Climate, biodiversity and the environment
China and Finland will collaborate on international initiatives to combat climate change, protect biodiversity and environment, increase sustainable land use, and develop more sustainable urban construction. Both countries are committed to the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. They have also signed the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction and commit to contribute to its earliest possible entry into force and to encourage others to do the same.
The two sides are determined to strengthen plastic pollution control, including improving plastic products design, sound management of plastic wastes and alternatives to plastic in a scientific and reliable manner. Both sides are committed to working with other parties to reach an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, taking into account the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, as well as national circumstances and capabilities.
Both sides are committed to the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm and Minamata Conventions and to advancing the new Global Framework on chemicals, and to setting up a Science-Policy Panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution.
Both countries will encourage their respective private sectors and knowledge institutions to explore investment opportunities and knowledge sharing in sectors crucial for low-carbon development, including renewable energy and the battery value chain. China and Finland remain committed to enhancing control of methane emissions and further tapping cooperation potential in the monitoring, reporting and verification of methane emissions.
5.Health and well-being
China and Finland will continue exploring solutions to challenges in the sector of health and well-being. They will promote digital health solutions, such as health tech for aged population, smart elderly care, and smart and audiovisually friendly solutions, in order to provide better access to health services, and to reduce the costs of human resources. Strengthening the economy of well-being is in the interest of both countries.
6.Food, forestry and water
China and Finland will enhance their long-time cooperation in the agricultural sector as well as in trade in food and agricultural products. They will continue to increase exchanges and cooperation in the fields of sanitary and phytosanitary requirements and safety of imported and exported food. The two sides will promote safe, healthy and sound development of their trade in food and agricultural products.
Both countries are also members of the School Meals Coalition, and continue to place importance on the overall goal of the Coalition that every child has the opportunity to receive a healthy, nutritious meal in school by 2030.
The two sides recognize forestry and forest-based bio economy as one long-lasting pillar of the bilateral cooperation, both in the public and private sector. Both countries will continue policy dialogue on forestry and forest-based bio economy related matters.
The bilateral cooperation mechanism between authorities in the water sector provides a platform for facilitating policy dialogue, joint research and business cooperation between China and Finland. Chinese and Finnish water authorities, knowledge institutions and enterprises will focus on topical subjects, such as water resources management, flood and drought disaster prevention, dam safety, urban floods management, water ecosystem rehabilitation and smart water development. China and Finland will support the activities of the China-Europe Water Platform.
7.Science and technology, education and sports
China and Finland will continue their long-term collaboration in the field of education as well as in science and innovation, in mutually agreed fields. Relevant ministries will continue their Joint Committee Meetings on Scientific and Technological Cooperation at regular intervals, and hold alternately ministerial level dialogue on education policy at regular intervals. Strategic dialogue, including substantive talks between the relevant ministries, remains at the core of their engagement in order to strengthen the partnerships between Chinese and Finnish knowledge institutions and other relevant actors in this sector. Both countries will look into ways of establishing and strengthening sub-national level cooperation in education between China and Finland.
China and Finland will continue the collaboration and exchanges between relevant ministries, authorities and sports organizations and will maintain communication and coordination on international sport affairs, and enhance cooperation in the fields of competitive sport, sport for all and sport industry, including winter sports.
8.Culture and tourism
China and Finland recognize the significant role of culture and tourism for their respective economic and social development and mutual understanding between the two peoples. They will support and encourage exchanges and cooperation between their museums, art galleries, theatres and art festivals. They will encourage cooperation in promoting tourism between the countries and in exchanging best practices in sustainable and digitalized tourism. They will also improve travel facilitation and strive to increase the number of visitors to each other’s country.
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