China and Finland on Wednesday signed a series of cooperative agreements on trade, protecting pandas, research and legislation during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Finland visit.
President Xi and his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto, who held talks on Wednesday morning, attended the signing ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki after holding talks, as the Chinese president continues his three-day state visit to the Nordic country.
After the signing ceremony, the two leaders issued a joint statement at Finland’s Presidential Palace.
Both sides have agreed to strengthen cooperation under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, said President Xi.
China appreciates Finland’s firm stance on the one-China policy, Xi noted.
Speaking about cultural cooperation, Xi called for an enrichment of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries, and for tourism to be encouraged.
Xi also said that both sides are seeking further bilateral cooperation in terms of winter sports. The two countries have agreed to define the year of 2019 as the year of China-Finland winter sports, said the president.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto spoke highly of China-Finland ties, vowing to continue developing bilateral relations and conducting frequent high-level communications.
"We need to think fully about environmental protection when we boost the economy," he stressed.
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