Glamorous Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro is set to host the 19th G20 Summit from Monday to Tuesday, which will welcome the global leaders and politicians with its unique natural splendors, enthusiasm and hospitality, in addition to the iconic football culture, beautiful beaches and artistic vibes.
Football has become a cultural symbol of the city where numerous enthusiasts gather to discuss and participate in the sport.
"We love football. We always have a friendly space to talk about the football in Brazil. I work all week, and I go to football, and I feel very well," said a local resident.
"The meaning of the football is to struggle against the problems. This is a way to connect ourselves with everybody," said another one.
Brazil is known as the Kingdom of Football and the winner of five World Cups. Rio de Janeiro has witnessed the growth of many world-class football stars like Zico and Ronaldo over the past decades.
The city boasts one of the largest football fields – Maracana Stadium, which was an important facility for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. Many football enthusiasts come to the stadium every weekend to release their passion for the sport.
The Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, which boasts a beautiful coastal line, is a landmark of the city, where tourists can enjoy themselves in cozy sunshine and sea wind.
As a pillar industry in Brazil, tourism represents 7.7 percent of Brazil's economy, bringing the country a revenue of 165.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2023.
Strolling in the city, people can appreciate distinctive paintings and graffiti on the street, including a colossal mural near the Museum of Tomorrow drawn for the 2016 Summer Olympics, which has been recognized as the largest one in the Guinness World Records.
Meanwhile, the artistic atmosphere is permeating in various museums of the city, including the Museum of Modern Art, which will serve as the main venue for the G20 Summit.
Rio de Janeiro to host 19th G20 Summit with unique glamors, artistic vibes
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo arrived in Beijing on Sunday to pay an official visit to China from Jan. 25 to 28, at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
During the visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with the Finnish prime minister, while Chinese Premier Li and Chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji will hold talks and meet with Orpo, respectively, to conduct in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern.
Finland was among the first Western countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and was the first European country to sign an inter-governmental trade agreement with China. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state in recent years, the future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership between the two countries has been deepened, and cooperation in various fields has been steadily advanced.
In 2025, bilateral trade between China and Finland exceeded 8 billion U.S. dollars in value, while mutual investment stock surpassed 23 billion U.S. dollars, reflecting sustained enthusiasm of enterprises from both sides for strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation.
During Orpo's visit, China's Ministry of Commerce will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Finnish side on strengthening the work of the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation, and enterprises from both sides will sign a number of business cooperation agreements, said a spokesperson for the ministry.
Orpo will be accompanied by executives from more than 20 Finnish companies spanning machinery, forestry, innovation, clean energy, food and other key sectors, according to the spokesperson.
China attaches great importance to the development of China-Finland relations, and stands ready to work with Finland to maintain close high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen economic and trade cooperation, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, foster mutual understanding and collaboration in multilateral affairs, and jointly elevate bilateral relations to a new height, said a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Finnish PM arrives in Beijing for 4-day visit to China
