China and Finland to enhance cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Jan 10, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and Finland agreed on Wednesday to bolster their mutually beneficial cooperation and enhance communication on international and regional affairs amid global challenges, as President Xi Jinping met with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto via video link.

Xi praised Finland's continuity in maintaining a friendly China policy, saying that President Niinisto, in particular, has been committed to promoting pragmatic cooperation and friendly exchanges.

In 1950, Finland was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

During Xi's state visit to the northern European nation in 2017, the two sides decided to establish a future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership, which is unique in China's foreign relations.

Xi said that the two countries have constantly deepened cooperation in recent years in areas such as the forest industry, agricultural and food products and winter sports, bringing concrete benefits to the two peoples.

China has become Finland's third-largest trading partner and its fourth-largest destination for overseas investment, as well as its largest trading partner in Asia for 20 consecutive years.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Jan 10, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

As China advances its modernization drive, Xi said that the nation is willing to share development opportunities with Finland, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and deepen their partnership.

Xi expressed China's willingness to work with Finland and other European countries to maintain and develop China-European Union relations based on a strategic vision and long-term perspective.

Niinisto, who is due to complete his second six-year term as Finnish president later this month, paid state visits to China in 2013 and 2019. He told Xi on Wednesday that these two visits remain fresh in his memory and he was glad to have witnessed the positive results achieved in bilateral cooperation in all fields.

The Finnish president's office said in a statement that the leaders also had a thorough discussion on the global geopolitical situation and the need to combat climate change and cooperation in this field.

Niinisto thanked Xi for the many important and candid bilateral discussions over the years and hoped that the high-level dialogue between the two countries will continue, the statement said.