President Xi’s state visit, which will run for three days, was upon the invitation of Sauli Niinisto, the president of Finland. (Photo : Getty Images)
President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan arrived at Helsinki Airport on Tuesday afternoon, April 4, for President Xi’s scheduled state visit to Finland, China Daily reported. The state visit is hoped to improve mutual trust, bilateral ties, and cooperation between China and Finland.
“Now, as we are building and promoting a future-oriented new type of cooperative partnership, our relationship faces new development opportunities,” Xi told the media waiting at Helsinki Airport.
President Xi’s state visit, which will run over the course of three days, was upon the invitation of Sauli Niinisto, the president of Finland. The last time a Chinese head of state visited Finland was approximately 22 years ago.
Aside from meeting with President Niinisto, President Xi will also hold a meeting with Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Maria Lohela and Prime Minister Juha Sipila, according to China Daily.
“I look forward to meeting with President Sauli Niinisto, Speaker Maria Lohela and Prime Minister Juha Sipila, during which we will have an in-depth exchange of views on China-Finland relations and other issues of shared interest and draw the blueprint for the growth of our relations,” Xi said in his arrival statement.
Ties between China and Finland have enjoyed a long history and friendship.
One of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China was Finland. In addition, Finland was also the first Western country to forge an intergovernmental trade agreement with China.
Both of the countries serve as each other’s trading partners in their respective regions. During President Niinisto’s state visit to China in 2013, the two countries also expanded their ties to a “future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership.”
Now, Finland and China have successfully worked together in various fields, including clean energy, Arctic research, innovation, and high technology.
“It has set an example of friendship and win-win cooperation between countries that have different size, population, history, culture, social system, and development level,” Xi said about China and Finland’s relationship.
“I am confident that, with the joint efforts of China and Finland, this visit will be a great success,” Xi added.
