Prime Minister Katainen and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang discussed situation in Syria

"In our meeting with the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, we discussed the challenges facing the international community, including the situation in Syria. I said that Finland strongly condemns the use of chemical weapons and requires that the situation be rapidly addressed and brought to a conclusion without unnecessary delay. I also told Prime Minister Li Keqiang that we expect the UN to carry its responsibility. We hope that China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, will actively contribute towards calming the situation in Syria," Prime Minister Katainen said in Dalian.

In their meeting, Prime Minister Katainen also drew attention to the opportunities provided by Finnish companies to participate in efforts to resolve China's environmental problems through their cleantech expertise and innovations.

"Prime Minister Li Keqiang showed keen interest in the current state of Finnish high technology businesses and he was well aware of the know-how that Finnish companies could bring to eliminating, for example, the air pollution problems in Beijing. Over the next few years, China will make considerable investments in improving the state of its environment. In my opinion, this will open excellent opportunities for Finnish businesses as there is a clear demand for our technologies and innovations," said Prime Minister Katainen.

Prime Minister Katainen and Minister of the Environment Niinistö will attend the World Economic Forum which will be held in Dalian on 11 and 12 September. The Forum will bring together political decision-makers, business leaders and journalists from all over the world to discuss key global issues.

Inquiries: Kari Mokko, Director of Government Communications, tel. +358 40 751 3281