Human Rights Watch has sounded the alarm as Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo heads to China for four days from Sunday. The advocacy group implores him to voice concerns over Beijing’s brutal crackdowns, at a time when economic lures overshadow ethical imperatives for visiting leaders.
HRW frames the visit as a litmus test: Can Finland uphold democracy and human rights while balancing ties with superpowers? Echoing patterns from recent Ireland, Sweden, France, Germany, and Canada trips, focus has skewed toward deals, neglecting abuses.
This reflects diversification drives to escape US overreliance, yet HRW fears deeper European alarm if Finland snuggles closer to authoritarian China—especially post-Trump pressures. The bilateral 2025-2029 plan spotlights tech, green innovation, and commerce, relegating rights to footnotes and disregarding direct threats to Helsinki.
China’s rap sheet is damning: humanity’s crimes in Xinjiang via detentions, spying, and Uyghur forced labor. Finnish clean energy and tech firms face supply chain perils, notwithstanding EU’s 2027 import curbs. China’s low-rights growth spurs global downgrades, job losses, and populist backlash in the West.
Beyond borders, Hong Kong silences opposition with prison threats, Tibet battles rights erosions, and Beijing harasses global activists. Orpo’s platform demands unflinching critique to protect Finland’s moral standing and business integrity.
The visit underscores Europe’s crossroads: prosperity without principles? By championing rights, Orpo could lead a shift toward accountable diplomacy, ensuring long-term gains don’t compromise universal values.