Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s ongoing visit to China yielded further progress in economic cooperation on Monday, when more than 120 business leaders convened for a high-level meeting in Beijing, which also saw the signing of multiple agreements between the two sides.

Orpo arrived in the Chinese capital on Sunday to begin a four-day official visit to the country, which he said aims to open doors for Finnish companies.

In a move to deepen economic ties, he joined Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at the sixth meeting of the China–Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation on Monday, which also drew business representatives from both sides.

In a speech at the event, Orpo described China as a crucial overseas market for Finnish companies and highlighted the broad potential for cooperation across multiple sectors. He also emphasized the importance of upholding international norms.

For business relations between Finland and China to truly flourish, we must together preserve the shared rules-based trade system, Orpo said.

Wang said that both China and Finland have long been advocates and defenders of multilateralism. He noted that China’s vast market and diverse application scenarios, combined with Finland’s strong innovation capabilities, create opportunities to expand cooperation in areas such as the circular economy, artificial intelligence, and information technology.

It is important for all countries to firmly uphold the rules-based international economic and trade order and avoid a return to a world defined by the law of the jungle. China stands ready to work with Finland to safeguard the multilateral trading system, Wang stressed.

Last year, bilateral trade between China and Finland exceeded 8 billion U.S. dollars, with the stock of two-way investment surpassing 23 billion dollars. Monday’s meeting demonstrated both countries’ resolve to further expand economic ties, with multiple new commercial agreements covering a range of sectors signed during the session.

We are going to sign a future cooperation agreement with China Architecture Design and Research Group, a major architectural institute in China, said Michal Horak, Vice President for Asia Pacific at the Peikko Group, a Finnish manufacturing firm.

We are a mining company. The procurement deal under discussion is substantial and could potentially reach hundreds of millions of yuan, said Zhang Liqun, Vice President of CMOC Group Limited, a mining company based in central China’s Henan Province that accounts for around one-third of the world’s cobalt supply.

Another key voice from the Finnish side was Pasi Rannus, CEO of Finnish vehicle and battery manufacturer Valmet Automotive, who pointed to synergies in the electric vehicle sector.

We all know that Chinese new energy vehicles are seeking to expand in Europe, and as a company, we can help them enter the European market, Rannus said.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has expressed its readiness to strengthen policy communication with Finland and provide the necessary support and services for businesses on both sides.