A three-member delegation led by Tuovi Ronkainen, vice chairperson of the Council of Kirkkonummi in the Uusimaa Region of Finland, visited Changsha and Yueyang from June 21 to 26, engaging in in-depth exchanges focusing on education, technological innovation, and green sustainable development.

On June 23, Guo Ning, director of the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, met with the guests and introduced Hunan's industrial layout and opening-up advantages, cordially inviting the Finnish government and enterprises to participate in the 2026 Hunan International Sister Cities Economic & Trade Forum and Cooperation Dialogue in September. During their stay in Changsha, the delegation held specialized discussions with Hunan's provincial departments in education, science and technology, and culture and tourism, respectively, conducting in-depth exchanges on hosting the "Finland-Hunan Basic Education Principals Forum" and reaching a preliminary consensus. Changsha Zhounan High School and Nanya Middle School respectively signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sister-school relations with a Kirkkonummi-based school. The delegation also visited the Hunan Embodied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation Center and the Infore Environment Technology Group, exchanging views on water resource management and green development cooperation.

During their visit in Yueyang, the Finnish guests visited Yueyang Tower, the Dongting South Road Historical and Cultural Block, Yueyang Vocational Technical College, and Yueyang Lingang Hightech Zone, sharing views on Dongting Lake water ecological conservation, circular economy, vocational education, and culture-tourism integration. Tuovi Ronkainen stated that Yueyang boasts profound historical heritage and modern industrial vitality, sharing high compatibility in ecological governance and sustainable development with Kirkkonummi. She expressed hope that the two cities will continue to deepen two-way exchanges and mutual learning.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: Official WeChat Account of the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee