Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Press release 3/2024
10 January 2024
President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö held a video call with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping on Wednesday 10 January 2024.
The Presidents had a good discussion on the bilateral relations between China and Finland, which were described as stable and long-standing. Bilateral dialogue and visits have resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Presidents noted the constructive dialogue between the countries regarding the Balticconnector pipeline incident. Issues related to bilateral economic cooperation were also discussed.
The Presidents also had a thorough discussion on the global geopolitical situation and the importance of great power relations. President Niinistö raised the issue of the war in Ukraine and its wider consequences. Niinistö stressed the role of China in achieving a just and lasting peace. The Presidents agreed on the importance of genuine, constructive and cross-regional dialogue in solving and preventing global problems.
The need to combat climate change and the cooperation in matter were also discussed. The Presidents also spoke about the EU-China relations, including recent developments and challenges.
President Niinistö thanked President Xi Jinping for the many important and candid bilateral discussions over the years and hoped that the high-level dialogue between the two countries will continue.