Helsinki to join Beijing in push for free trade

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said during an exclusive interview with China Daily that his country and the European Union will join President Xi Jinping in defending free trade. Xi will visit Finland from Tuesday to Thursday. Fu Jing / China Daily

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila has pledged that his country will join with China in advocating free trade and globalization, even as the concepts come under attack in some parts of the world.

"First of all, free trade is very important," Sipila said ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit to Finland.

Sipila said from his office in downtown Helsinki that he has been preparing for the visit for some time and looking forward to it "very eagerly". He noted that both sides have "a lot of issues" to discuss.

Against the backdrop of the rising threats of isolationism and protectionism, he recalled that, at a recent European Council meeting, European leaders discussed the speech that Xi delivered in January at the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Xi will visit Finland from Tuesday to Thursday before meeting with US President Donald Trump.

Sipila said Finnish President Sauli Niinisto will focus on political and foreign affairs with Xi, while Sipila will focus on economic issues.

The prime minister said Xi's speech in Davos was encouraging because it supported free trade at a time when there was discussion in the United States about imposing trade barriers in an effort to protect US manufacturers.

"My understanding is that the president is flying to the US after his visit in Finland," he said. "For Europe and for Finland, it's also very important that China and the US have a very good relationship, and that free trade continues, because that affects us as well.

"I think it's in our common interests to continue free trade," Sipila said.

China's investment in Finland is increasing. Currently, according to the prime minister, Chinese companies are expected to invest about 1 billion euros ($1.07 billion) in each of two projects in the north of the country, and there are plans for investment in two biofactories. Sipila said that China and Finland were expected to sign investment agreements during Xi's trip, but details had not been finalized.

Tourism has also been increasing. The number of tourists from China has doubled in recent years because many Chinese people have developed an interest in seeing one of the fictional homelands of Santa Claus.

Sipila said Finland has a strong record of innovation at its universities and among its business start-ups, which could complement China's manufacturing capabilities, although he noted that China had also made major improvements in its indigenous innovation. Other areas of cooperation could be in biofuels, clean technology, green energy, metals and forestry, he added.

Some interests in Europe have viewed Chinese investment with suspicion, he noted, but Finland and the European Union have put no barriers in place to block Chinese investment.

"I am a friend of free trade, and without limitations. So, Finland is a supporter of free trade and investment flow," said Sipila.

Zheng Jinqiang in Brussels contributed to this story.