Minister Stubb to take a Team Finland trip to China

Press Release 78/2013
3 April 2013

Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb will take a Team Finland trip, with an aim to promote exports and internationalisation of Finnish companies, to China on 10-12 April.

During the trip, the delegation will visit Shanghai, Jiangsu Province and Chengdu. There are almost 200 Finnish companies operating in the environs of Shanghai and around 40 in Jiangsu Province. The rapidly-growing Chengdu is an interesting market area for IT technology sector in particular. The business delegation, gathered by Finpro, consists of 31 companies, representing the cleantech, telecommunications, information technology, shipbuilding, financing, city planning, tourism and well-being sectors.

China is Finland’s biggest trading partner in Asia. Total trade between our countries amounted to EUR 7.2 billion in 2012. The purpose of the visit is to promote business opportunities of Finnish companies and enhance the image of Finland as a country of high and clean technology.

When visiting Shanghai, Minister Stubb will meet local authorities, participate in a business forum and give a lecture at Fudan University. In Jiangsu, Stubb will participate in the opening of Kone elevator plant. The itinerary in Chengdu will include a visit to Hi-Tech Zone industrial district, a business forum and meetings with city authorities.

Before visiting Shanghai, Jiangsu and Chengdu, Minister Stubb will take part in the President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö’s official visit to China in Beijing, 8-9 April.

The companies participating in the visit are: ABB Oy, AFT - Aikawa Fiber Technologies Oy, Caprice Ltd, Capricode Oy, DigiEcoCity Ltd, Enoro Oy, FIAC Invest Ltd, Finnish Innovative Architecture and Consulting Ltd, Finnair Plc / Finnair Cargo Oy, Finnish Tourist Board, FluidHouse Ltd, GreenStream Network Oyj, Oy Hacklin Ltd, Honkarakenne Oyj, Jyväskylä Regional Development Co. Jykes Ltd, Oy Lunawood Ltd, Machine Technology Center Turku Ltd, MPS China Management Consulting, Neste Oil Corporation, Nokia Siemens Networks, Normet Trading Ltd, Pohjola Bank Plc, Raute (Shanghai) Machinery Co. Ltd, Runtech Systems Oy, Santa's Hotels, Takoma Oyj, TWS Shipping Line Ltd Oy, Shipbuilding, Vacon Plc, Vahterus Oy ja Valkee Oy.

Additional information: Lauri Tierala, Special Adviser to Minister Stubb, tel. +358 40 841 7141; Esko Männistö, Counsellor, tel. +358 29 535 0579; and Mikko Puustinen, Press Counsellor, Embassy of Finland, Beijing, tel. +86 188 1105 6691