Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday welcomes Finnish enterprises to "take a swim in the vast ocean of the Chinese market" to enhance their global competitiveness when he met with visiting Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

During the meeting in Beijing, Xi called on both sides to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as energy transition, circular economy, agriculture and forestry industries, and scientific and technological innovation.

Xi pointed out that Finland was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Over the past 76 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Finland relations, characterized by mutual respect, equality, future orientation and win-win cooperation, have achieved steady growth regardless of how the international landscape has evolved, he said.

As both the Chinese and Finnish people possess a spirit of perseverance and self-reliance, the two sides should further enhance mutual trust, strengthen exchanges, and deepen cooperation to contribute to the development of their respective countries and deliver greater benefits to the two peoples, Xi said.

Xi emphasized that friendship and mutual trust between China and Finland have historical roots.

Noting this year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Xi said China will continue to advance high-quality development and expand high-standard opening up to the rest of the world.

Finland is a powerhouse in winter sports, and China has also emerged as a major winter sports nation, Xi said, calling on both sides to promote exchanges and cooperation in this area to carry forward their winter sports friendship.

He welcomes more Finnish people to visit China and experience its blend of ancient heritage and modern vitality.

The Chinese president said that in a world confronted by multiple risks and challenges, the international community should join hands for response, adding that major countries should act as a good example to promote equality, observe the rule of law, pursue cooperation, and uphold integrity.

Xi expressed China's readiness to work with Finland to firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, to jointly respond to global challenges.

He also said China is willing to work with Finland to promote an equitable and orderly multipolar world as well as a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

Noting China and Europe are partners, not adversaries, Xi said cooperation between China and Europe outweighs competition, and their common ground outweighs differences.

He expressed the hope that Finland will play a constructive role in promoting the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.

For his part, Orpo said that Finland and China enjoy a profound traditional friendship, and have achieved a long-term stable development in bilateral relations based on mutual respect and mutual trust, with both sides jointly celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations last year.

Stressing that the Finnish companies are keen on cooperating with Chinese enterprises, Orpo said Finland is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, maintain close high-level exchanges, deepen practical cooperation in trade, investment, digital economy, clean energy, and agriculture, so as to deliver more benefits to the two peoples.

He said Finland firmly adheres to the one-China policy, admires China's outstanding achievements in development, appreciates China's important and constructive role in international affairs, and is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China to jointly safeguard world peace and stability.

Noting that it is of great significance to maintain constructive EU-China relations, the prime minister said that Finland advocates European strategic autonomy, supports free trade, and is willing to play a positive role in properly resolving trade frictions between the EU and China and promoting the healthy development of EU-China relations.