Current affairs

The Foreign Ministry continues to implement the savings required by the Government’s proposal for the budget and spending limits by closing down Finland’s Consulate General in Canton, China and the Consulate in Las Palmas, Spain, during 2012. Las Palmas will operate as an Honorary Consulate. Finland’s representation on the west coast of the United States will be concentrated in the mission located in the Silicon Valley of California.

Speech by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja in The Aleksanteri Institute’s conference “The Dragon and the Bear: Strategic Choices of China and Russia” on November 9th 2011 in Helsinki.

Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb will make an export promotion and internalisation trip to Shanghai, China, on 18–20 October.

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

The key to success is not just how a nation competes, but where it competes, writes Dan Steinbock, research director of international business at the India, China and America Institute.

The key to success is not just how a nation competes, but where it competes, writes Dan Steinbock, research director of international business at the India, China and America Institute.

The key to success is not just how a nation competes, but where it competes, writes Dan Steinbock, research director of international business at the India, China and America Institute.

The key to success is not just how a nation competes, but where it competes, writes Dan Steinbock, research director of international business at the India, China and America Institute.

China is no longer merely a production site for Finnish companies. Broader partnership is now sought in environment technology and the energy sector. Finland, too, attracts interest in China, as evidenced by the high number of visitors to the Finnish pavilion at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai – the five millionth guest was welcomed to the pavilion during Minister Väyrynen’s visit to Shanghai.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen considers Southern China a major locomotive for both the Chinese economy and the global economy, and sees it as an area with great potential for Finnish companies. Minister Väyrynen expressed his views after having visited Hong Kong and Shenzhen on 11–13 October.