Nordic Cooperation Minister Jan Vapaavuori to visit China and Japan
Press release 239/2007
8 November 2007
Nordic Cooperation Minister Jan Vapaavuori and a Nordic delegation of ten people will visit China and Japan on 11—15 November. The purpose of the visit is to present Nordic cooperation and new areas of focus in this cooperation, particularly concerning questions related to globalisation, climate and environment, and innovations.
Chaired by Minister Vapaavuori, on Monday 12 November, the delegation will meet Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Quan and Vice Minister at the Ministry of Science and Technology of China Shang Yong. In Beijing, the delegation will also visit Tsinghua Science and Technology Park.
On 13 November, the delegation will travel to Shanghai, where its members will get acquainted with the Finnish FinChi Innovation Centre, and Fudan University and its Nordic Centre. On Wednesday, 14 November, Vapaavuori will open a Nordic-Chinese seminar at Hotel Regal International in Shanghai, held under Finland's Nordic Council chairmanship theme The Nordic Region: A region of opportunity – close to you. Other speakers at the seminar will include a representative of the Nordic Council of Ministers, directors of NordForsk, a Nordic research board operating under the Nordic Council of Ministers, and NIC Innovation Centre, director of Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, and Swedish State Secretary for Nordic Cooperation.
From Shanghai, the delegation will leave for Tokyo, where its programme will include, for instance, discussions about the marketing of the Nordic Region in Japan, and a review of experiences gained two years ago at the joint Nordic Pavilion at the Aichi World Fair. In the course of the programme, Vapaavuori will meet, for instance, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shotaro Yachi and distinguished representatives of science.
Finland holds the chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers this year. Finland's chairmanship programme as well as, for instance, reports of various events during the year accompanied by photos can be viewed at the chairmanship website at http://www.norden2007.fi(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window).
Additional information: Chief of the Secretariat for Nordic Cooperation, Harri Mäki-Reinikka, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 40 731 2856, and Political Advisor to Minister Vapaavuori Yamina Guerfi, tel. +358 50 371 0521