Finland, China eye cooperation in energy, education

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday discussed cooperation opportunities in various sectors including the energy sector, cleantech solutions and education, said an official press release.

“Finland is very satisfied that one of the agreed pilot areas of cooperation is clean and smart city solutions. We also discussed cooperation opportunities in, for example, the energy sector, cleantech solutions and education,” Sipilä said after a meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Both the leaders also discussed the opportunities that the winter sport theme year of 2019 between Finland and China will offer for Finnish companies.

Sipilä is accompanied by a high-level business delegation with representatives from 47 Finnish companies and organisations. Several cooperation agreements between China and Finland will be signed during the visit.

“In the discussions with President Xi, I also touched upon China’s significant role as an advocate of free international trade and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change,” said the Prime Minister.

“Additionally, we noted that the relations between the EU and China are developing in a good direction,” He added.

News agency Xinhua adds: Sipilä and Xi agreed to dovetail the two countries' development strategies and boost cooperation in various fields.

Xi called for aligning China's 13th Five-Year Plan with "Vision: Finland 2025", and strengthening pragmatic cooperation in areas of telecommunications, intelligent manufacturing, bio-economy, environmental protection technology, energy-saving buildings and clean energy.

The two sides should advance people-to-people exchanges and enhance cooperation in winter sports as China will host the Winter Olympics in 2022, he said.

Finland assumed the rotating presidency of the Arctic Council this May.

China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Finland in Arctic affairs under the framework of the Arctic Council, Xi said.

Sipilä is in China to attend the Summer Davos meeting, which will be held in northeast China's port city of Dalian, Liaoning Province, from June 27 to 29.

Xi welcomed Sipilä's visit to China and hailed the fast growth of bilateral ties, as the two countries confirmed the establishment of a future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership this April during Xi's state visit to Finland.

"This is not only an extension of the two countries' traditional friendly ties, but also a strategic and long-term plan for the countries' relationship in the future," Xi said when talking about the upgraded bilateral ties.

Sipilä expressed condolences to China over the landslide in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Saturday, which killed at least 10 with 93 still missing.

Finland will work to promote progress in the cooperation between Nordic countries and China, Sipilä said.