China Finnish Photo:VCG

As Finnish President Alexander Stubb is to start his state visit to China on Monday, Chinese analysts anticipate the visit will further push forward the steady and sound development of bilateral ties while contributing to China-EU relations at a time of turbulence and adjustment. 

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Stubb will pay a state visit to China from Monday to Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday. 

President Xi will hold talks with Stubb during the visit. Li Qiang, Chinese premier, and Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, will meet with Stubb respectively to exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of common interest, Lin Jian, another foreign ministry spokesperson, told a daily press briefing.

"Finland is among the first Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China," Lin said, adding that China-Finland relations are experiencing sound development and that the day of President Stubb's arrival in Beijing will be the 74th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

China is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with Finland, continue the traditional friendship, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade, investment, green transformation and other fields, jointly meet global challenges, and promote the further development of bilateral relations, Lin said.

The relationship between China and Finland has been stable and healthy for a long time, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday. "Finland has maintained unique positions and policies when dealing with major powers over the years. This is also one of the key reasons why, despite the geographical distance and significant differences in national conditions, China and Finland have been able to maintain a stable and healthy relationship," Cui said.  

Cui believes that Stubb's visit may introduce new action plans after comprehensive discussions with the Chinese side, and solidify the foundation of China-Finland relations characterized by strong planning. 

Despite some fluctuations in China-Europe ties recently, primarily due to significant changes in internal and external environments in the continent, including its economy and geopolitical landscape, Finland, an advocate for free trade and an open economy, has maintained a relatively objective stance in trade frictions between China and Europe, Cui said.

In the recent vote regarding the imposition of tariffs on Chinese EVs, Finland abstained, reflecting its need to collaborate with China, Cui said. "It is essential to provide Finland with a platform to express its views. This will ultimately benefit the formation of a more comprehensive and objective stance toward China within the EU," he noted. 

During his visit, the Finnish president will be accompanied by representatives from business and government, including the ministers of climate and environment, agriculture and forestry, foreign affairs, as well as a business delegation, who are set to visit Beijing and Shanghai during their stay, announced the presidential office of Finland in early October. 

As seen from the composition of the Finnish delegation to China, Cui noted the visit is likely to tap into new potentials for cooperation while strengthening existing collaborations, including in in areas of agriculture and forestry, sustainable development, green transformation, smart cities and technology. Discussions may also include cooperation in the digital economy and artificial intelligence. 

The economic complementarity between China and Finland is robust, with Finland currently China's third-largest Nordic trading partner. China has been Finland's largest trading partner in Asia for many years. According to Chinese customs data, bilateral trade volume reached $8.2 billion in 2023.

Finland is renowned for its world-leading capabilities in technology research and development, particularly excelling in fields such as information technology, healthcare and environmental energy. Meanwhile, China offers a vast market size and a formidable manufacturing base, creating a dynamic landscape for economic collaboration. This complementarity between Finland's cutting-edge technological advancements and China's extensive production capabilities presents abundant opportunities for mutually beneficial economic cooperation, fostering innovation, enhancing competitiveness and promoting sustainable growth, Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, told the Global Times.