Flags of China and Finland. [Photo/VCG]
The virtual meeting between Chinese and Finnish national leaders on Wednesday highlighted the strong complementarity and potential of China-Finland cooperation.
China has the unique advantages of a super-large market and a complete industrial system, while Finland has strong comprehensive competitiveness, advanced technology and a favorable business environment.
Finland was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, and has long maintained a friendly policy toward China.
The Sauli Niinisto government’s active efforts to promote Finland’s substantive cooperation with China and friendly exchanges in various fields have helped the Sino-Finnish relationship maintain steady development. There is.
Bilateral cooperation in areas such as forestry, agriculture and food production, information and communications, energy, environmental protection, science and technology, education, and winter sports has deepened, bringing tangible benefits to both countries and their peoples.
Trade between China and Finland is expected to reach 12.5 billion euros ($13.73 billion) in 2022, accounting for 7.2% of Finland’s total trade. China has become Finland’s third largest trading partner and has been Finland’s largest trading partner in Asia for 20 consecutive years.
Finland’s share of China’s external trade with the five Nordic countries and the three Baltic countries has increased year by year, rising from 13.2% in 2020 to 15.3% in 2022.
Both sides should continue this momentum and continue to uphold the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutually beneficial cooperation.
As China’s top leader reiterated on Wednesday, China is committed to sharing development opportunities with Finland, strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation, deepening a new type of future-oriented cooperative partnership between the two countries, and promoting cooperation in international affairs. Willing to strengthen. Together, the two countries can jointly advocate for multilateralism and free trade and actively contribute to safeguarding world peace and stability.
Mr. Niinistö echoed this point by expressing the country’s desire to further exploit the potential of cooperation with China and continue to promote the development of Finland-China and European Union-China relations. I’m happy.
The two countries can also strengthen communication on international and regional affairs, as well as global challenges such as climate change.