Radio | News of the week in plain Finnish | Saturday 31.1.2026

Prime Minister Orpo’s trip to China

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Prime Minister Petteri Orpo visited China this week.

One important purpose of Orpo’s visit was to promote Finnish companies’ trade with China.

Many other world leaders have recently visited China on the same issue as Orpo.

Now we will tell you more about it.

The goal is to promote Finnish exports

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Prime Minister Petteri Orpo met with President Xi Jinping during his trip to China. Photo: Janna Laine / Embassy of Finland in Beijing

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo visited China this week. During the trip, Orpo met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as the Chinese Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce.

One of the purposes of the trip was to promote Finnish exports to China. That is why Orpo was accompanied by representatives from over 20 Finnish companies. These included food companies Fazer and Valio, elevator company Kone, and Metso, which manufactures mining equipment.

Orpo hoped that China would take action to give Finnish companies more free access to the Chinese market.

Orpo says the trip was a success, with a total of 11 trade agreements signed during it.

There are now people coming to China

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French President Emmanuel Macron visited China in December. Photo: Adek Berry / EPA

Several Western leaders have visited China recently.

In addition to the Finnish Prime Minister, the President of France and the Prime Ministers of Ireland, Canada and Britain have visited China, for example. The German Chancellor is expected to visit Beijing next.

Visitors are interested in China’s large markets.

Interest in China has also grown because the US has become an unreliable trading partner. While other countries want to facilitate trade, the US president threatens new tariffs.

The EU has made big trade agreements

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The EU and India sign a free trade agreement. Pictured are European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Photo: Rajat Gupta / EPA

The European Union is also looking for new trading partners. There are no fewer than six trade negotiations underway.

During the first half of the year, the EU has concluded trade agreements with countries such as Indonesia and the South American Mercosur countries. The Mercosur countries are Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

This week also saw the signing of a free trade agreement between the EU and India, creating a market of two billion people.

Heli Siikaluoma, an expert at the Confederation of Finnish Industries, says that EU trade agreements also open up major export opportunities for Finnish companies.

Repetition

Let’s repeat a little.

Finland and many other countries are looking for new trading partners.

Leaders from many countries are now visiting China, as China’s large market is of interest.

The EU has signed many important trade agreements during the first half of the year, from which Finland can also benefit.

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