Finland appoints the first ever full-time press counsellor to China

Press release 109/2011
28.3.2011

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has appointed Mikko Puustinen to the post of press counsellor at the Embassy of Finland in Beijing.

The rising importance of China in the global economy and world politics is now reflected in the staffing of Finland’s diplomatic missions in China. Puustinen is the first full-time press counsellor appointed to Beijing to handle public diplomacy affairs, whose task involves the advancement of Finland’s objectives through communications, culture and other means of promotion. Public diplomacy affairs at Finland’s diplomatic missions in China were previously handled by personnel in addition to their other tasks.

Mikko Puustinen takes up his post at the Embassy on 8 August 2011. The term of appointment is three years.

Puustinen has worked with communication affairs in China for ten years. He was the Deputy Commissioner General of Finland and Communications Director for Finland at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. During a six-month period, 5.7 million visitors and nearly 30,000 persons in a leading position came to the Finnish pavilion. Earlier, Puustinen has worked at the Embassy as a sinologist. He holds an M.A. degree with specialisation in research on China as well an MBA degree.

The press counsellor will be situated in the Embassy in Beijing, but he will also work in close cooperation with the Consulate Generals in Shanghai, Canton (Guangzhou) and Hong Kong as well as with other Finland actors based in China.

After Russia, China is Finland’s largest trade partner outside the EU. Some 240 businesses registered in Finland operate in the country. Finnish companies have invested about an estimated eight billion euros in China.

Additional information: Deputy Director General Piritta Asunmaa, Department for Communications and Culture, tel. +358 9 1605 5818