China, Finland pledge deeper trade ties at Beijing business meeting during Orpo's Visit

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, Finland pledge deeper trade ties at Beijing business meeting during Orpo's Visit

China, Finland pledge 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 crisis in Yemen has upturned the lives of children across Yemen, disrupting education during their formative years and leaving many in a state of constant fright.

Millions of minors in the Middle Eastern country face a childhood defined by displacement, hunger, and survival. After more than a decade of conflict that has led to severe malnutrition and the collapse of essential services, young people are growing up knowing more about survival than stability.

In Yemen's capital city Sana'a, 11-year-old Rafiq Ahmed Abdo was forced to leave school because his family could no longer survive without his help.

Now, he spends his days selling prickly pears under the scorching sun on the streets of Sana'a. On a good day, after an exhausting 12 hours of work, he earns around 1,500 Yemeni riyals, or less than seven U.S. dollars.

"The war prevented us from continuing our education. I regret leaving school, but the situation forced me to do it. I want to return to school so that I can achieve my dreams to become a doctor," Abdo said.

His story, echoed across the country, reflects the reality facing an entire generation of Yemeni children whose lives have been shaped by conflict, deprivation, and uncertainty.

According to United Nations estimates, around 7.4 million children across Yemen are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection.

"There are still children dying today -- a slow death today caused by the effects of the war. They are also suffering due to the lack of medicine, the closure of Sanaa Airport, and the closure of land crossings, which have prevented access to medicine for Yemenis," said Ahmed Abu Hamra, head of the Ayn Al-Insaniya Center for Rights and Development in Sanaa.

Apart from physical ailments, the anxiety of living in a war-torn environment has left an equally devastating psychological impact on many young Yemenis.

"A large number of children suffer from bedwetting. Some suffer from sleep disorders. Others live in fear of loud sounds because of aircraft, bombs, and explosions," said Ali Taysir, head of the National Authority for Human Rights in Sanaa.

Millions of Yemeni children still endure displacement, hunger after years of war