BEIJING: China on Thursday expressed confidence that Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s upcoming official visit would inject new momentum into bilateral economic and trade cooperation, highlighting growing commercial ties and expanding investment between the two countries.
Responding to a media query, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said Finland was an important economic and trade partner for China in Europe and recalled that it was the first European country to sign an intergovernmental trade agreement with Beijing.
Under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders, China–Finland cooperation has continued to deepen, the official said, noting that bilateral trade exceeded $8 billion in 2025, while mutual investment stock has surpassed $23 billion.
Prime Minister Orpo is scheduled to visit China from January 25 to 28 and will be accompanied by executives from more than 20 Finnish companies operating in sectors including machinery, forestry, innovation, clean energy and food. The official said the composition of the delegation reflected Finland’s strong willingness to further strengthen economic engagement with China.
The two sides are also preparing for the sixth meeting of the China–Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation, which is expected to bring together around 50 companies from both countries.
During the visit, China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Finnish side will sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening the committee’s work, while several commercial agreements between Chinese and Finnish companies are also expected to be concluded.
Looking ahead, the ministry official said China and Finland enjoy strong economic complementarity and broad potential for cooperation, particularly in green development and innovation-driven growth. The official welcomed businesses from both countries to capitalise on new opportunities arising from China’s continued high-level opening up.
