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China, Finland to enhance economic ties during PM Orpo's visit: spokesperson

China

China

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China, Finland to enhance economic ties during PM Orpo's visit: spokesperson

2026-01-22 20:17 Last Updated At:23:57

The Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday that it expects new momentum in bilateral economic and trade cooperation with Finland during Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's official visit to China from January 25 to 28.

Regarding the bilateral trade relations, a ministry spokesperson noted that Finland is an important economic and trade partner of China in Europe and was the first European country to sign an inter-governmental trade agreement with China.

Under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, China-Finland economic and trade cooperation has seen its foundation steadily strengthened and its scope continuously expanded, the spokesperson said.

In 2025, two-way trade exceeded 8 billion U.S. dollars, while mutual investment stock surpassed 23 billion U.S. dollars, reflecting sustained enthusiasm from enterprises on both sides to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

Prime Minister Orpo will be accompanied by executives from more than 20 Finnish companies spanning machinery, forestry, innovation, clean energy, food and other key sectors, highlighting Finland's strong desire to deepen economic engagement with China, according to the spokesperson.

China and Finland are also preparing for the sixth meeting of the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation, with around 50 companies expected to take part.   During the visit, China's Ministry of Commerce and the Finnish side will sign a memorandum of understanding on strengthening the committee's work, while companies from both countries are set to conclude multiple commercial agreements.

These arrangements fully demonstrate that both China and Finland have the will, confidence, and capability to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, the spokesperson noted.

Looking ahead, the spokesperson stressed that the two countries enjoy strong complementarity and broad cooperation potential in green and innovation-driven development. Chinese and Finnish companies are encouraged to seize the new opportunities presented by China's ongoing high-level opening-up and to further cooperate in green transition, information technology, the digital economy and related fields.

The Ministry of Commerce expressed its readiness to work with relevant Finnish institutions to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, enhance communication on economic and trade policies, provide quality services to enterprises, and further deepen and solidify bilateral cooperation. 

China, Finland to enhance economic ties during PM Orpo's visit: spokesperson

China, Finland to enhance economic ties during PM Orpo's visit: spokesperson

China, Finland to enhance economic ties during PM Orpo's visit: spokesperson

China, Finland to enhance economic ties during PM Orpo's visit: spokesperson

A youth march themed "Here with Fidel" was held in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday to call for an end to the U.S. blockade.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, and other party and state leaders participated in the event.

At 08:00, members of Cuba's Union of Young Communists and the Jose Marti Pioneers Organization, along with people from various sectors gathered at the iconic Malecón waterfront promenade in the capital. The participants first delivered speeches and staged artistic performances to express their determination to inherit history, oppose the blockade, and defend the revolutionary cause. Following this, the parade, featuring cyclists and motorcyclists, set off from the José Martí Sports Stadium.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro's birth and April 4 is the anniversary of the founding of the Union of Young Communists in 1962.

One participant said that Cuba does not deserve the unjust treatment it has endured for decades.

"Cuba is a country of peace, a country of love, and it does not deserve this unjust blockade that we are currently facing. The youth at the centenary of Fidel Castro are stepping up to defend and support the revolution. We will not stop because Cuba is a country that resists and lives,” said a participant.

Another participant spoke of the difficult times facing the nation and the essential role of young people.

"We are living through very complex times in our country. Amid all this, young people must play a fundamental role. Here we are; we arrived by bicycle, and some have come on foot. Hopefully, this message reaches the world. I hope that young people from different nations can connect with each other, coming together more and more to strive for a better planet," he said.

Cuban youth hold march to protest U.S. blockade

Cuban youth hold march to protest U.S. blockade

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