Xi Jinping calls on Finland as China, US compete for European hearts
- Chinese president tells counterpart Sauli Niinisto he hopes Finland can play a ‘unique and positive role’ in China-EU relations
- US President Joe Biden recently rallied European leaders to confront China, but US, Europe and China also have opportunities to cooperate on climate change
“It is of vital importance for China and the EU to jointly uphold dialogue and cooperation as the mainstream of bilateral relations, and mutual benefit as the main theme for bilateral cooperation,” Xi told his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto during a telephone conversation on Monday, according to a Chinese foreign ministry press release.
“[I] hope that Finland can play a unique and positive role in promoting the healthy and steady development of China-EU relations.”
Observers said that the “unique” role Xi mentioned referred to Finland’s long tradition of neutrality, which they said could aid communication between China and the EU.
Ding Yifan, a former research director working under the State Council, China’s cabinet, said that as a neutral country Finland had maintained good relations with China since the Cold War era and could be expected to take a moderate position amid tensions between China and the US.
