Finland Times

 

File Photo of the Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen. Photo - Lehtikuva.

The Prime Minister, JyrkiKatainen, on Wednesday asked China to use its good office in playing an active role towards ending crisis in Syria as quickly as possible, said a press release of the Government Communications Department.  

 

In a meeting with the Chinese premier, Li Keqiang, in Dalian of north China, the Finnish Prime Minister now in China on an official visit made the request.

 

"We talked about the challenges that the international community is facing now, including crisis in Syria. I said that Finland strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons and requires that the situation be rapidly addressed and brought to a conclusion without unnecessary delay,” Katainen said of the meeting.

 

“I also told Prime Minister Li Keqiang that we expect the UN to carry its responsibility. We hope that China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, will actively contribute towards calming the situation in Syria," said Prime Minister Katainen.

 

Minister of the Environment Ville Niinistö accompanied the Prime Minister during the meeting with the Chinese Prime Minister. The aim of the ministers' visit to China is to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and promote Finnish companies' export and internationalisation opportunities.

 

During the meeting, Prime Minister Katainen also drew attention to the opportunities provided by Finnish companies to participate in efforts to resolve China's environmental problems through cleantech expertise and innovations.

 

Prime Minister Katainen and the Environment Minister Niinistö will attend the two-day World Economic Forum which will end today. The forum will bring together political decision-makers, business leaders and journalists from all over the world to discuss key global issues.

 

Xinhua Adds:  Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met on Wednesday with Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen on the sidelines of the annual Summer Davos Forum in the northeast China city of Dalian.

 

 Li recalled the Finnish President's April visit to China and the consensus reached by the heads of the two countries on the establishment of a China-Finland future-oriented cooperative partnership. He said it is the common will and responsibility of the two sides to implement the consensus.

 

China will work with Finland to further enhance their relationship, strengthen cooperation in areas including investment, innovation and environmental protection, and push forward bilateral relations.

 

Katainen said Finland attaches high importance to its relationship with China, and he is looking forward to issuing a joint document with China on implementation of the presidents' consensus.

 

He welcomed more Chinese companies to invest in Finland, and voiced support for an early start on investment agreement negotiations between the European Union and China so as to promote Finland-China and EU-China cooperation.

 

Katainen is here to attend the annual meeting of the Summer Davos Forum, which opened on Wednesday afternoon in the Liaoning Province city of Dalian. Li attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.