China, Finland set model of equal interactions between nations: Xi

China and Finland have always maintained friendly relations, and upheld mutual respect and mutual trust, setting a model of equal interaction between nations with different systems, said Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday.

Xi made the statement in talks with visiting Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Beijing.

"I'm glad to meet Mr. President. This counts the second time we met, and it has been 14 years since we last met. After assuming office, you included China among the first countries to visit, which fully demonstrates the great importance you attach to China-Finland relations. Finland was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and the first Western country to sign an intergovernmental trade agreement with China," Xi said.

"Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, regardless of changes in the international landscape, China and Finland have always maintained friendly relations, and upheld mutual respect and mutual trust, setting a model of equal interactions between nations that transcends differences in history, culture and systems," said the Chinese president.

Speaking on the same occasion, Stubb highly commented on the favorable development of relations between Finland and China.

"Mr. President, thank you very much. Thank you for your warm welcome. It's nice to be back. I think our first meeting here was in 2009. And as you said, the world was a very different place. But probably most importantly from our perspective is that China has grown in that 14-, 15-year period in a way which was unimaginable for so many. And next year we'll be celebrating our 75th year together. It's very easy to say our bilateral relations are excellent," said Stubb.

Stubb arrived in Beijing on Monday for a four-day state visit at the invitation of Xi.

Before the talks, Xi held a welcome ceremony for Stubb at the Great Hall of the People.

Shenzhen Port in south China's Guangdong Province handled 8 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of foreign trade containers from January to March this year, marking a 7.81-percent increase year on year, according to Shenzhen Customs.

Connected to more than 300 ports in over 100 countries and regions around the world, Shenzhen Port ranks first in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in container throughput.