Exclusive | China’s Russia ties mean EU trade deal is off the table, Finland says
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Tough talk from foreign minister shows the nation could provide a de facto veto on China’s efforts to launch a deal.

China’s close ties with Russia should be a “disqualifying factor” in Beijing’s bid to launch talks on a free-trade agreement with the European Union, Finland’s foreign minister has said.

China’s response:

China hopes that Finland will view China’s normal development of relations with other countries rationally and objectively, maintain an open mind, and refrain from politicizing or over-securitizing economic and trade issues, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press conference on Friday.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202604/1359713.shtml

Finland’s Foreign Minister is trying to break ties between China and Russia. Something even the United States has failed to do.

A nation of five million people. Grappling in the super heavyweight division. The EU and NATO have fostered a dangerous sense of megalomania in Helsinki.

Finland’s foreign relations are being handled as poorly as its economy. Both are in crisis. And they are tightly intertwined.

When Finland seeks confrontation instead of cooperation, trade suffers. The economy suffers. The people suffer.

China is now telling Finland to stop politicizing trade. That is not a threat. That is a reality check.

Megalomania is not foreign policy. It is a suicide note.

Reminder:

Finland was neutral. Had close ties with Russia for years. Then Ukraine and the EU happened. They threw it all away.

Finland traded with Russia. Bought cheap energy. Prospered. Respected by East and West.

Then NATO called. Finland abandoned neutrality. Joined NATO. Sanctioned Russia. Threatened China. Cut off energy. Lost trade. Lost tourism. Lost influence.

What did Finland gain? NATO membership. A protection racket. Article 5. The world’s biggest bluff.

What did Finland lose? Cheap energy. Russian tourists. Trade. Influence. Economic stability. Social welfare. Sovereignty.

Finland is now the worst performing EU state. Fastest-worsening finances. Highest unemployment. Cutting social welfare. Cities shrinking.

The EU and NATO created megalomania in Helsinki. Five million people acting like a superpower. Threatening China. Sanctioning Russia. Lecturing the world.

China and Russia are not threatened. They are adapting. Finland is isolating itself.

Finland was neutral. Prosperous. Respected.

Then Ukraine and the EU happened.

Now Finland is broke. Broken. And alone.

Neutrality was not cowardice. It was wisdom. Finland forgot that.

  • Bronstein_Tardigrade@lemmygrad.ml
    19·
    2 months ago

    Makes you wonder how long Finland can maintain their “Happiest Country in the World” status. The US is a '73 Chevy Impala setting on cinder blocks in the world’s front yard, so Finland decided their best move was to jump in the back seat for a ride along.

    • cfgaussian@lemmygrad.mlOP
      22·
      2 months ago

      I know Finns. I’ve never bought into the whole “Finland is the happiest country in the world” propaganda and neither should you. Finland is one of the most depressed countries in the world, almost on par with occupied Korea.

      • cwtshycwtsh@lemmygrad.ml
        9·
        2 months ago

        The best part is that Finns generally believe to be the happiest. Calling it a lottery win to be born as a Finn… Finnish exceptionalism is rooted tightly.

  • big_spoon@lemmygrad.ml
    16·
    2 months ago

    so…finns would prefer being submitted to an empire ruled by a perverted fascist, an economy in shambles, and pouring money and support for a nazi state like ukraine just to spite russia?

    • cfgaussian@lemmygrad.mlOP
      12·
      2 months ago

      Correction: Finland is not one of the Chihuahua states, rather it’s part of what’s known in academic terms as the Reddit Belt or the Butthurt Belt:

  • MelianPretext@lemmygrad.ml
    8·
    2 months ago

    The European peanut gallery probably won’t be able to scupper a deal like this, though it might be a good thing for China if it actually did.

    The last time an opportunity like this came up, I gather it was Chinese business/capital sectional interests that compelled China’s trade negotiators to give nearly the whole farm away, so to speak in the CAI deal they were on the verge of signing back then, including asymmetrical market penetration in China for European capital. Then, EU atrocity propaganda sanctions stopped that deal in 2021 and the EU’s negotiating power then plummeted with the Ukraine war, the subsequent de-industrialization and then the economic fallout from the crises in West Asia. With all these cascading consequences, China’s negotiating position will likely continue to improve against the EU if the trade talks are continually postponed through attempts at sabotage like this.