Finnish Prime Minister Meets Chinese Party Official

Chinese Vice-President Meets Azerbaijan Foreign Minister

Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen met Wednesday in Helsinki with Wei Jianxing, a senior official of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC), on Sino-Finnish relations and the development of bilateral cooperation.

A member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Wei spoke highly of current Sino-Finnish relations and expressed appreciation for Finland's adherence to the one-China policy.

Wei, also a member of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat, said that in recent years, Finland has maintained a high economic growth rate and led the world in such areas as environmental protection, information technology and telecommunications.

With the development of China's western areas and the country's expected entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), Wei predicted that Sino-Finnish economic and trade cooperation would enjoy broad new prospects.

He said Finland is glad that China will soon join the WTO, which will be of great significance and benefit to the world economy. He expressed the hope that both sides would continue to tap the potential for cooperation and push bilateral relations to a new high.

Lipponen said that China is important to Finland and Finland will have long-term cooperation with China based on respect for each other's cultural traditions. He said Finland and China enjoy good relations and share broad prospects for cooperation.

The prime minister also congratulated China on the achievements it has made in its economy and other fields in recent years.

Also on Wednesday, Wei held separate talks with Second Deputy Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Jukka Mikkola, Justice Minister Johannes Koskinen, and Labor Minister Tarja Filatov.