China can provide broad business opportunities for Finland: premier

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinisto at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

China can provide broad business opportunities for the commercialization of Finland's technical innovation as it has a vast market, Premier Li Keqiang told visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinisto Tuesday, saying China will vigorously protect intellectual property rights.

"China and Finland complement each other on cooperation in areas of economic technology and share broad prospects, " Li said during a meeting with Niinisto at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

"We will spare no efforts to protect intellectual property rights as it not only caters to China's own needs of transforming its development model but also helps it learn advanced technology and concepts," he said.

China stands ready to further cooperate with Finland on cargo, service and technology, jointly address climate change and work on green development and clean technology, said Li.

He said China firmly supports the European integration process and has always viewed the European Union (EU) as an important force to maintain world stability and promote free trade.

China looks forward to a new round of China-EU leaders' meeting to push bilateral cooperation to a higher level, Li said.

He expressed the hope that Finland can contribute to China-EU relations and EU unity and prosperity as the Nordic country will assume the rotating EU presidency in the second half of this year.

For his part, Niinisto said he has seen China's progress every time he has visited the country, which has brought opportunities to Finland and other countries.

Noting that China is becoming a force for stability in today's world, he said Finland attaches great importance to relations with China and China's vast market.

Finland would like to enhance cooperation between enterprises of both countries, especially small and medium-sized companies, as well as in the areas of climate change, technological innovation and clean energy, he said, adding that Finland will work with China to jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system.

Also on Tuesday, Chinese top legislator Li Zhanshu met with Niinisto.

Li, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Finland have adhered to mutual respect, equal treatment and mutually beneficial cooperation, becoming a model of peaceful coexistence and friendly exchanges between countries of different cultures, sizes and development levels.

He said China stands ready to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation to a new level.

The NPC is willing to intensify exchanges with the Parliament of Finland at various levels to promote cooperation in economy and trade, innovation, environmental protection and winter sports, said the top legislator.

Niinisto said he expects to advance the future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership between Finland and China to yield more practical results through the visit.

Finland is ready to help China in hosting a successful 2022 Winter Olympic Games, he said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with visiting Finnish President Sauli Niinisto at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)