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China and Finland pedge deeper trade ties at Beijing business meeting during Orpo's Visit

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China and Finland pedge deeper trade ties at Beijing business meeting during Orpo's Visit

2026-01-26 23:42 Last Updated At:01-27 00:17

Officials and business leaders form China and Finland on Monday signed new agreements and pledged deeper trade ties in Beijing during Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's ongoing visit to China.

The 6th China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation Meeting, a long-standing cooperation mechanism aimed at linking the two countries' companies, capital and innovation, was co-hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

The gathering brought together representatives from the government and business sectors spanning the fields of energy, manufacturing, aviation, healthcare and sustainability.

Orpo, who arrived in the Chinese capital on the previous day, said he hopes his visit will "open doors to Finnish companies" and the meeting was primarily about matchmaking -- connecting policy priorities with real business needs and turning cooperation into concrete projects.

"We have a rather small scale, here we can see the scale, whether it's about the patient numbers, manufacturing services, or equity values," said Juha Yrjanheikki, CEO of Aurealis Therapeutics, a cell and gene therapy platform company.

"More and more of the most innovative solutions, whether it's to do with how we work or how our products work, we see them coming more and more from China," said Jussi Herlin, vice chair of board of directors of Kone Corporation, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry.

"China has always been an important market for us -- for the Finnish companies, because it's a huge market. So if you manage to be successful here with your technology, then you can compete all over the world," said Timo Vuori, vice president of the Confederation of Finnish Industries.

In a speech at the meeting, Orpo said his visit also sends a broader signal of commitment to cooperation, even as global trade faces rising uncertainties.

"Finland and China enjoy stable and long-standing relations. Over these years of collaboration, trade relations between our countries have grown steadily. China has become a very important market for Finnish businesses. To truly flourish, we must together preserve the shared rules-based trade system. It provides the predictability and confidence needed for companies to expand their partnership and pursue sustainable growth," said the prime minister.

In his speech, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao outlined how cooperation between the two sides has translated into concrete outcomes.

"Our bilateral trade topped eight billion U.S. dollars in 2025, with two-way investment stock exceeding 23 billion dollars. During today's meeting, companies from both countries engaged in active exchanges and enthusiastic cooperation, signing over 10 cooperation agreements," said Wang.

China and Finland pedge deeper trade ties at Beijing business meeting during Orpo's Visit

China and Finland pedge deeper trade ties at Beijing business meeting during Orpo's Visit

The two-day 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), Asia's first major international financial event of 2026, opened in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday.

The forum, themed "Co-creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape," highlights the role of finance in empowering industries.

Co-organized by the HKSAR government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 19th AFF has brought together over 3,600 professionals from more than 60 countries and regions around the world, with about 80 business delegations from overseas and the Chinese mainland in attendance.

The event features a special discussion session on gold trading to promote Hong Kong's development as an international gold trading hub.

"The Asian Financial Forum has been in place for nearly 20 years. I believe it has played a tremendous role in the development of Hong Kong's financial industry," said Wang Shuguang, vice-chairman of China International Capital Corporation Ltd. (CICC).

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu stated in his opening speech that Hong Kong will continue to explore measures to deepen mutual access between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong financial markets and accelerate the development of new growth areas.

Besides, the forum has also gathered over 150 global political, business and financial leaders and experts.

It has launched the inaugural Global Business Summit, focusing on deep integration of finance and industry to foster more cooperation and to enable Hong Kong to fully leverage its unique advantages as an international financial and trade hub.

The forum, which runs through Tuesday, features multiple discussion panels, keynote speeches, thematic luncheons, and breakfast sessions, exploring global economic trends, economic forecasts, and other hot topics across finance and industry.

19th Asian Financial Forum opens in Hong Kong

19th Asian Financial Forum opens in Hong Kong

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