China’s Xi Jinping signals deeper ties with Finland during PM’s visit 

Beijing is willing to enhance mutual trust, strengthen communication and deepen economic cooperation with Finland, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared as he welcomed Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Beijing.

Orpo was in the Chinese capital on Tuesday to meet Xi and other leaders as part of a four-day visit to the country that began on Sunday.

During their meeting, Xi told Orpo that Finnish businesses were welcome to “swim freely” in the “vast” Chinese market, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Xi also expressed readiness to work with Finland “to firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations” based on international law, adding that Beijing was seeking “to promote an equitable and orderly multipolar world”.

The two leaders also discussed cooperation in areas such as energy transition, agriculture and forestry, according to Xinhua.

On Monday, Orpo met Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, who called on Finland to urge the European Union to consider caution in the use of restrictive trade and economic tools.

At the meeting, Wang also urged Orpo to oppose protectionism and “create a fair, open and predictable policy environment” for Chinese companies, according to China’s state-owned Global Times newspaper.

China’s Ministry of Commerce had earlier announced that the two countries were to sign a deal on business cooperation.

Orpo is accompanied by executives from more than 20 Finnish companies, spanning machinery, forestry, innovation, clean energy and food.

Global Times reported that the Finnish leader was also scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the chairman of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee, Zhao Leji.

For years, China has been Finland’s largest trading partner in Asia, while Helsinki is Beijing’s third-largest trading partner in Northern Europe. Finland was also one of the first Western countries to recognise and establish diplomatic ties with China.

According to Global Times, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are also scheduled to visit China soon, reflecting what it described as an “adjustment in Europe’s foreign policy” to a pragmatic and multilateral foreign orientation.