China, Finland eye further trade, parliamentary co-op

HELSINKI -- China and Finland on Friday agreed to further their cooperation on trade and arctic affairs and foster high-level parliamentary exchanges.

The agreement was reached in talks between visiting top Chinese political advisor Yu Zhengsheng and Finnish Parliament Speaker Eero Heinaluoma.

The two sides vowed to work together to transfer the political consensus reached between leaders of the two countries into substantial cooperation outcomes that could help promote the national development and benefit the two peoples.

Hailing the robust growth of the bilateral relations in the past over 60 years since the establishment of China-Finland diplomatic relations, Yu noted that Finland, the world-renowned innovator, and China, which is making efforts for structural readjustment for economic development, share huge potential for further cooperation in fields such as investment, innovation, environment and urbanization.

Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), also highlighted the important common understanding reached between China and Finland on arctic affairs and advocacy of free trade.

"I hope the Finnish side could adhere to its position against trade protectionism and continue to play its positive role to help China and the EU resolve the disputes concerning the matter," Yu said.

The top Chinese political advisor also briefed Heinaluoma on China's latest economic development as well as CPPCC's role in China's political and economic life.

He stressed that the CPPCC values its ties with the Finnish parliament and is committed to boosting the exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.

Echoing Yu's views on the bilateral relations, Heinaluoma said Finland and China have set a good example showing that nations of different sizes, with different social systems and at different development levels could work together and learn from each other.

The Finnish side hopes to make joint efforts with China to step up bilateral cooperations on technological innovation, clean energy, urbanization and sustainable development, Heinaluoma said, expressing his expectation that the Finnish parliament could intensify its exchanges and cooperation with CPPCC at various levels and in various fields.

At the invitation of the Finnish parliament, Yu arrived in Helsinki late Thursday. Finland is the first leg of Yu's Nordic trip which will also bring him to Sweden and Denmark.