Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui held consultations with visiting Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland Markus Lyra on April 6, 2006. Vice Minister Zhang made positive remarks over China-Finland relations, saying Finland is to assume the rotating presidency of the European Union and to host the 6th Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM) as well as the 9th China-EU Leaders' Meeting and we would like to take this opportunity to promote the comprehensive and in-depth development of China-Finland and China-EU relations. Lyra said Finland gives priority to developing relations with China, sticks to the one-China policy and would like to further enhance cooperation with China in various areas. The two sides also exchanged ideas on China-EU relations, ASEM as well as international and regional issues of common interest.

Under-Secretary of State Lyra and his team arrived in Beijing on April 5 for a three-day visit to China at the invitation of Vice Minister Zhang.