Xi holds talks with visiting Finnish president on relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Beijing on Tuesday.

Xi noted that Finland was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China and the first Western country to sign an intergovernmental trade agreement with China.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Finland have always enjoyed friendly relations based on mutual respect and trust, setting a fine example of state-to-state relations that transcends historical, cultural and institutional differences, and promotes equal exchanges, Xi said.

As the world is undergoing accelerated changes unseen in a century and the risks and challenges facing human society are increasing, the future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership between China and Finland holds exceptional value and should be cherished and advanced, Xi said.

China is willing to work with Finland to strengthen strategic cooperation, carry forward traditions of friendship, and further advance the cooperative partnership between the two countries to better benefit the two countries and the two peoples and make new contributions to world peace and development, Xi added.

He stressed that the most important reason for sustained, sound and steady development of China-Finland relations is that the two countries have always respected each other, treated each other as equals, and accommodated each other's core interests and major concerns.

Saying that bilateral practical cooperation got off to an early start and has yielded fruitful results with great potential, Xi expressed welcome to the Finnish side to actively participate in the Chinese modernization drive, expand cooperation in emerging industries such as green transformation, information technology, the digital economy, artificial intelligence and new energy, and build a new pattern of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in the new era.

China stands ready to further expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Finland and has decided to include Finland in the scope of China's unilateral visa-free policy, Xi said, extending welcome to more Finnish friends to China for business, tourism and study.

Pointing out that China and Finland are both peace lovers and champions of multilateralism and free trade, Xi expressed the country's willingness to strengthen communication and cooperation with Finland on climate change, biodiversity conservation, global sustainable development, artificial intelligence governance, among others, jointly safeguard world peace and stability, and promote the building of an equal and orderly multi-polar world and economic globalization that benefits all.

As next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the European Union (EU), Xi expressed the hope that the Finnish side will continue to play a positive role in promoting sound and stable development of China-EU relations, so as to realize mutual promotion and shared development of China-Finland relations and China-EU relations.

For his part, Stubb said it is a great pleasure to visit China soon after assuming office as president and meet President Xi once again after 14 years, adding that since then great changes have taken place in the world and China has made jaw-dropping achievements in development.

Saying that the Finnish side adheres to the one-China principle, Stubb said his country is willing to jointly celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties with China next year, maintain close high-level exchanges, expand people-to-people exchanges and deepen practical cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, green energy and sustainable development.

The Finnish side appreciates China's commitment to equality among all countries, no matter big or small, in international relations, Stubb said, voicing the Nordic country's willingness to work with China to enhance multilateral communication and cooperation, thus contributing to world peace and stability.

Noting that the economies of Europe and China are closely linked, Stubb said that "decoupling and disruption of industrial and supply chains" and "new Cold War" serve the interests of neither side, adding that his country is willing to play a positive role in promoting smooth development of EU-China relations.

The two sides also exchanged views in an in-depth way on the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Xi elaborated on China's principled position, saying that China is willing to work with all relevant parties, including Finland, to continue to play a positive role in promoting a peaceful settlement of the crises.

After their talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation documents in such fields as education, water conservancy, environmental protection, farm produce and development of a circular economy.

The two sides also issued a joint action plan (2025-2029) on promoting the future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership between China and Finland.

Prior to the talks, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcome ceremony for Stubb and wife Suzanne Innes at the Great Hall of the People.

In the evening, Xi and Peng hosted a banquet to welcome the visiting couple.

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

Xi holds talks with visiting Finnish president on relations

Xi holds talks with visiting Finnish president on relations

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi should apologize for and retreat her errouneous aggressive remarks on China's Taiwan region, as the rhetoric in her words could destabilize domestic society and harm Japan's relations with neighbors, Japanese scholars said recently.

Shinako Oyakawa, a lecturer at the Okinawa University who has long focused on security and peace issues, said that Takaichi' remarks are inflammatory, have seriously violated the spirit of Japan's pacifist constitution and caused harmful consequences for the public.

She said that Takaichi needs to issue a clear apology and formally retract her remarks.

Takaichi on November 7, 2025, made blatant and provocative remarks on Taiwan at the Diet, claiming that a Taiwan contingency could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and implying that Japan might invoke the so-called "right to collective self-defense" for armed intervention across the Taiwan Strait.

"She made such remarks in parliament, the kind of rhetoric commonly used by the 'internet right wing,' sounding exactly like what people in that circle would say. Such remarks give the impression that they are ready to go to the battlefield, even willing to start a war. This kind of rhetoric is extremely dangerous," said Oyakawa.

Oyakawa said that the remarks have caused significant losses and both ruling and opposition parties have oversimplified the issue.

"The remarks have already caused significant damage in various aspects. The relevant figures are still being tallied, and the extent of the damage is truly unimaginable. Both the ruling and opposition parties have oversimplified the issue; or, their attitudes have been ambiguous, out of fear of facing it. However, this is not an issue that can be easily glossed over. She must issue a clear apology and formally retract her remarks," Oyakawa said.

Japan's history education has long avoided or distorted accounts of its wars of aggression launched by Japan against Asian neighbors, leaving few with a true understanding of historical facts. This, Oyakawa said, has further accelerated the overall rightward shift in Japanese society.

"As the number of war survivors dwindles, the practice of distorting history in Japan is becoming increasingly rampant. Almost no one knows about the suffering endured by our Asian neighbors. What the Japanese exactly did abroad and what war responsibility Japan bears are completely absent from textbooks," said Oyakawa.

As an Okinawan, Oyakawa said she strongly feels the government's military buildup has brought fear and anxiety to residents.

"Fighter jets and helicopters fly overhead everyday, and the roar of military aircraft becomes routine. On average, Okinawa experiences several plane crashes or incidents of falling parts each year. The militarization of Okinawa is escalating, bringing fear and unease to residents. I think that this situation must be stopped from further worsening," said Oyakawa.

Koichi Nakano, professor of political science at Sophia University, also criticized Takaichi's leadership, saying her team showed little consideration for relations with China and her remarks damage Japan-China relations and undermine Japan's own economic and social stability.

Nakano also said that Japanese society faces a serious problem, as awareness about and reflection on Japan's wartime aggression continue to fade. He stressed that only by facing up to history and engaging with neighboring countries on equal terms can Japan lay the groundwork for rebuilding ties with China.

"Japan's biggest problem is that the recognition of history with China is gradually fading. The sentiment of reflecting on the aggression history and apologizing for it has not been fully passed down between generations. More and more people are unaware of the historical facts, believing that 'that's all in the past' and that no further apology or remorse is necessary. This is an extremely serious issue. (The Japanese government should) build friendly relations on an equal footing, conduct objective and accurate mutual evaluations of the past and present, and rebuild bilateral relations," said Nakano.

Japanese prime minister should apologize, retract erroneous remarks on Taiwan: Japanese scholars