Finnish companies remain confident in China's growth prospects, rooted in decades of investment and fresh bilateral deals, said Jussi Herlin, vice chair of KONE Corporation on Monday.
Speaking with China Global Television Network (CGTN) during Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's official visit to China, Jussi Herlin, head of the Finnish business delegation, shared why Finnish companies remain optimistic about China despite global geopolitical challenges.
"Most of these companies are actually companies that have been operating in China for a long time. KONE, for example, already 30 years in China, and many other companies already have decades of activity here in China. So in that way, this is just a continuation of what has already been a very good and long business relationship," said Herlin.
"And then there are some companies who want to find partners in China or who want to grow. But all of these companies, the fact that they wanted to accompany the prime minister, I think is a signal that they feel that they have a lot to give to the Chinese market and they also have a lot to gain," he said.
When asked what underpins this sustained confidence, Herlin pointed to shared values and priorities between the two countries.
"I think China and Finland are similar in many aspects. They are both countries where innovation is deemed important in business. They are both countries that are investing heavily into the green transition, and with a lot of digital talent as well. So I think this sort of similarities, they create a good foundation for continued business relationship," he said.
Herlin also noted his own family's deep-rooted ties with China, dating back to 1953 when Finland's first cultural delegation visited China, led in part by his great-grandfather.
Reflecting on KONE's experience, one of the first Finnish companies to operate in the Chinese market, Herlin credited China's extraordinary pace of urbanization.
"The urbanization that took place in the last 20 years or 25 years is faster and more rapid than anywhere else in the world. And we're very privileged that we have been a part of the urbanization boom. And now of course we are seeing the transition in the construction and in the real estate and in the urbanization. There will be more focus on the modernization of existing buildings and the modernization of existing equipment such as elevators. And this we see as the motor or the engine for growth in the rest of this decade at least," he said.
More than 120 business representatives took part in the sixth meeting of the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation in Beijing on Monday, where over 10 bilateral agreements were signed, spanning sectors such as green buildings, biomedicine, and digital innovation, reflecting both countries' focus on future-oriented collaboration.
Orpo arrived in Beijing on Sunday for an official visit to China through Wednesday.
Finnish business sees long-term growth in China
