Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and China’s President Xi Jinping engaged in a “constructive dialogue” on January 10 regarding the damaged Baltic Sea gas pipeline, allegedly caused by a Chinese vessel. The incident, involving an anchor recovered by Finnish police in October last year, led to suspicions that the Chinese cargo ship Newnew Polar Bear was responsible.
Finnish officials stated in back October that China was cooperating in the investigation. The incident occurred just over a year after underwater explosions targeted three of four Nord Stream gas pipelines, disrupting a vital supply route from Russia to Europe.
The operator of Balticconnector announced in October that pipeline repairs would take at least five months, leaving Finland dependent on liquefied natural gas imports for the winter. Natural gas constitutes about 5 percent of Finland’s energy consumption.
During the talks, President Niinisto, whose country joined NATO in 2023, raised the issue of the war in Ukraine, emphasizing China’s role in achieving a just and lasting peace. In response, President Xi, as reported on Chinese state television CCTV, affirmed China’s commitment to an independent foreign policy of peace.
Source: straitstimes.com
