Reference News, January 26 - According to EFE, on January 25, Finnish Prime Minister Petri Olsson arrived in Beijing, the capital of China, becoming the second EU leader to visit China within three weeks.

Olsson led a delegation of more than 20 Finnish business executives to visit China, and this official visit will last until the 28th.

Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, stated that during Olsson's visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with him, while Premier Li Qiang and Chairman Zhao Leji will have separate talks and meetings with him, exchanging in-depth views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern.

Guo Jiakun emphasized that China highly values the development of Sino-Finnish relations and is willing to closely engage in high-level exchanges with Finland, consolidate political trust, strengthen economic and trade cooperation, promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and enhance mutual understanding and collaboration in multilateral affairs, jointly advancing Sino-Finnish relations to a new level.

Finland was one of the first Western countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. In 2025, bilateral trade between China and Finland exceeded $8 billion, and the stock of two-way investment exceeded $23 billion.

Olsson emphasized that it is crucial to continue dialogues with China on bilateral cooperation and current international hot topics. In a statement, he said, "China is an important export market for Finnish companies and the second-largest trading partner of the EU."

Members of the Finnish delegation included representatives from companies in the fields of machinery, forestry, innovation, clean energy, and food.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce pointed out that China and Finland have complementary strengths in green and innovative areas, and there is great potential for cooperation.

According to the South China Morning Post website, on January 24, it was reported that the Finnish Prime Minister would begin a four-day visit to China on the 25th. Amid U.S. pressure on Europe through coercive policies, Olsson's visit will lead a large business delegation, seeking to establish closer ties with Beijing.

Observers expect the cooperation between the two sides will focus on green technology and climate-related projects.

Olsson will be the first Finnish prime minister to visit China since 2017 and the second EU leader to visit China within the past three weeks. Previously, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin visited China at the beginning of January.

Olsson's visit also followed Canadian Prime Minister Marc Trudeau, who is also a NATO member. During Trudeau's visit to China, Canada reached an agreement with Beijing to reduce tariffs and repair long-standing tensions in relations.

The report said that former U.S. President Trump's criticism of traditional NATO allies and his obsession with acquiring Greenland have deepened divisions within the transatlantic alliance and provoked strong condemnation from the closest American partners, including EU leaders.

Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University, said that Finland, due to its active participation in European affairs and interest in economic cooperation with China, can play a certain "bridge" role in Sino-European relations.

Before the trip, Olsson emphasized the need to maintain dialogue with China. He said that the EU's relationship with China "must be based on the principle of reciprocity and equal market access." China is an important export market for Finnish companies and the second-largest trading partner of the EU.

James Downes, co-director of the Italian think tank Research and Social Progress Center, believes that Olsson's visit highlights Finland's desire to strengthen economic stability and supply chain resilience. The country has been trying to balance the EU's "de-risking" strategy toward China by selectively engaging with Beijing.

Official data shows that Sino-Finnish trade in 2025 exceeded $8 billion.

Song Lu Zheng, a researcher at the China Institute of Fudan University, said that Sino-Finnish relations have long maintained a certain degree of independence. He said, "The relationship between Finland and China has not been overly affected by China's relations with other major powers." He also mentioned that Finland voted abstention in the 2024 EU vote on temporary tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Wu Zhuoyin, senior economist at France's Banque pour le Commerce extérieur, believes that the upcoming talks may focus on trade and innovation rather than geopolitical issues.

Many observers believe there is broad room for cooperation between the two sides in non-security areas. Ding Chun pointed out that China and Finland have potential for cooperation in areas such as the Arctic shipping route, climate observation, and environmental protection. Finland has professional expertise in these areas and shares common interests with China.

Xu Tianchen, senior economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit, emphasized that China dominates the manufacturing of green energy equipment, while Finland has advanced technologies in energy efficiency, heating systems, and circular economy, and the two sides may achieve cooperation. (Translated by Han Chao, Zhu Li)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7599474066101273131/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.