To thoroughly implement the important consensus of the heads of state of China and Finland on science, technology and innovation (STI) cooperation, promote the Joint Work Plan for Promoting Future-oriented New-type Partnership between China and Finland (2019-2023), and deepen pragmatic cooperation in STI in sustainable development and other important fields, the 18th Meeting of the China-Finland Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation was held in Beijing on May 22, 2019. The meeting was co-chaired by Huang Wei, Vice Minister of Science and Technology of China, and Petri Peltonen, Vice Minister of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland.
 
At the meeting, the two sides fully affirmed the achievements of China-Finland cooperation in STI cooperation and stressed that STI is playing an increasingly important role in the future-oriented new-type partnership between China and Finland, and holds great potential for cooperation. Vice Minister Huang Wei briefed the Finnish side on the current situation of STI in China, pointing out that China and Finland enjoy traditional friendly relations and that Finland is an important partner of China in the Nordic and the European Union. He noted that the Joint Work Plan (2019-2023) released by the two heads of state charts a course for future cooperation between the two countries and points the way forward for expanding STI cooperation. Vice Minister Huang Wei said that STI has long been a highlight of China-Finland cooperation and that this joint committee Meeting & China-Finland Symposium on Energy and Climate Change will take STI cooperation to a new level. Vice Minister Huang Wei also put forward suggestions for the future cooperation: first, the two sides need to put into action the consensus reached by the two heads of state, deepen bilateral relations and STI cooperation to achieve pragmatic results, and innovate at a higher level and in a broader scale; second, the two sides need to fully leverage the Joint Committee mechanism, forge closer cooperation in research and innovation policies, exchange ideas on STI achievements of China and Finland, and make top-level planning and arrangements for future STI cooperation; and third, the two sides need to make China-Finland Symposium on Energy and Climate Change a regular mechanism, tap the potential for STI development, so as to benefit the development and improve public well-being of both countries.

Vice Minister Peltonen talked about Finland‘s strategy and policy for STI, including research programs in key cooperation fields and innovation- and entrepreneurship-friendly measures. He noted that Finland has always attached great importance to cooperation with China in STI and hoped that the two sides could work to deliver on the consensus reached by the Joint Committee, tap the potential of cooperation in the fields of common interest such as energy, climate change, high-tech Winter Olympics, and promote pragmatic project cooperation so as to increase academic exchanges and industrial cooperation between the two countries and contribute to fulfilling global SDGs.

The two sides reviewed the progress in the field of STI since the last meeting of the Joint Committee and identified climate change, high-tech Winter Olympics, circular economy, clean energy and health as priority fields for next-step cooperation. The two sides agreed to deliver on the above consensus in various forms, such as thematic seminars, better joint funding mechanisms, more active research mobility, and innovation and entrepreneurship cooperation.

Those attending the meeting include representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, China Science and Technology Exchange Center, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Administrative Centre for China’s Agenda 21, Jiangsu Science and Technology Department, the Chinese Embassy in Finland, the Finnish Ministry of Economic affairs and Employment, the Finnish Academy of Sciences, Invest in Finland and the Finnish Embassy in China.