Editor's note: Finnish ambassador to China Leena-Kaisa Mikkola is leading a delegation on a visit through East China's Shandong province from May 8 to 11. Prior to her departure, she discussed her expectations of the trip and the future of Shandong-Finland relations.

Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, Finnish ambassador to China [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Q: Ambassador, you planned to organize a delegation to visit Shandong twice in 2021 and 2022, but the trips did not happen due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. However, you finally made it this time. Why were you so persistent in wanting to come to Shandong?

A: Team Finland China delegation visits, in which Finnish public actors and companies visit different provinces together, have proven to be a useful platform to strengthen business-to-business cooperation and establish new contacts. We chose Shandong as a destination because Shandong's economy is one of the largest in China, and the province has a diversified agricultural and industrial base. Unfortunately, we had to postpone the visit twice due to the local pandemic prevention measures, but, as the saying goes, third time's a charm.

Q: There are many Finnish companies in the ambassador's delegation and they are well-known in China. Could you please detail the current development of Finnish companies in China and what kind of practical cooperation they have carried out with Shandong?

A: The Finnish delegation covers a wide range of industries including digitalization, manufacturing, maritime and ports, energy, bio-economy, consumer goods, tourism, food, and more. Successful cooperation already exists in industries, such as maritime, speed train manufacturing, paper mills, metal processing, timber importing, and others.

Q: We understand that the delegation aims to reach new cooperation in many fields. Could you please discuss future cooperation between the two countries?

A: During the visit, memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and agreements will be signed, solidifying partnerships between several Finnish and Chinese companies.

Q: In recent years, the pragmatic cooperation between China and Finland has been continuously upgraded, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges have become increasingly close. Through this visit to Shandong, what do you expect to see in the future in people-to-people and cultural exchanges between Finland and Shandong?

A: Cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts help build trust and understanding between peoples. I hope to see more Finnish cultural actors and performances in Shandong in the future, and welcome cultural actors from Shandong to visit Finland. This is particularly important after the long break caused by the pandemic.