BEIJING – Finnish President Alexander Stubb raised the Ukraine war and regional security concerns in a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, advocating for peaceful solutions to the conflict. Stubb’s visit underscores Finland’s evolving security stance, having joined NATO last year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Russian aggression has violated international law,” Stubb stated, stressing the need for Ukraine’s involvement in any peace deal.
President Xi welcomed Finland’s active engagement in China’s modernization efforts, noting potential for “mutually beneficial cooperation” between the two nations, according to Chinese state media. Stubb’s four-day visit also touches on EU-China trade tensions, particularly the EU’s recent five-year tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, a measure Finland abstained from supporting.
The leaders additionally discussed an ongoing probe into possible Finnish infrastructure sabotage. Finnish police have linked the suspected damage of the Balticconnector gas pipeline to an anchor dragged by a Hong Kong-registered vessel, adding complexity to Finland-China diplomatic relations.