Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan will attend the meeting of defense chiefs of member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Russia’s St. Petersburg and pay an official friendly visit to Finland from June 28 to July 5.
Chang is invited by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Finnish Defense Minister Jussi Niinisto, respectively, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a press briefing on Thursday.
Along with Sweden and Denmark, Finland was one of the first Western countries to recognize the People’s Republic of China and form diplomatic relations with the country in 1950. The Embassy of Finland, Beijing was opened in April 1952.
China is Finland’s fifth biggest trading partner, and has been largest in Asia for more than a decade.
