Mr. Ambassador:

I gladly accept the Letter of Credence presented by you from the President of the Republic of Finland and thank you for the friendly wishes conveyed by you on behalf of the President of the Republic of Finland.

Over the past four years, economic ties and cultural exchanges between China and Finland have developed greatly on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. As everyone knows, the friendly contacts between the governments and peoples of our two countries have been carried out in many forms over the years. Particularly gratifying is the smooth development of trade relations and cultural links between the two countries. Trade between the two countries has grown year by year, and trade agreements have been fulfilled satisfactorily. The visit of the Chinese acrobatic troupe to Finland in 1952, the visit to China in 1953 of the Finnish cultural delegation headed by Madame Kekkonen,[1] and the visit to Finland in July 1954 of Vice Minister Lei Renmin of the Ministry of Foreign Trade of China at the invitation of the Finnish Government all left deep and favourable impressions among the peoples of the two countries and greatly strengthened the feelings of friendship and the faith in peaceful cooperation between the peoples of China and Finland. The relations of friendly cooperation between China and Finland fully prove that countries with different social systems can coexist peacefully and cooperate in friendship. Now our two countries have raised their legations to embassies and exchanged ambassadors, which marks the further consolidation and development of the friendly relations between our two countries.

[1] Kekkonen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Finland in 1953.

China and Finland share the common desire to safeguard and consolidate peace, and the increase in economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries will certainly also benefit the safeguarding and consolidation of world peace. We believe that the trade relations and cultural exchanges between China and Finland will steadily strengthen and develop. Mr. Ambassador, I welcome the desire you have expressed for more direct contacts between representative figures of the two countries.

I warmly welcome you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Finland to the People’s Republic of China. In your work to strengthen the friendly cooperation between China and Finland, you will surely receive the assistance of myself and the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

I wish you success in your work, and wish prosperity to the Republic of Finland, happiness to the Finnish people, and good health to His Excellency President Juho Kusti Paasikivi of the Republic of Finland.