Washington, January 25 – As Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo embarks on a four-day visit to China starting Sunday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a stark appeal for him to confront Beijing’s rampant abuses head-on. The timing couldn’t be more critical, with Europe navigating a delicate balance between economic ambitions and democratic principles.
HRW’s statement underscores that Orpo’s trip transcends mere diplomacy. ‘This visit tests whether Finland can safeguard its core interests—democratic values and human rights—while maneuvering between two global powers,’ the organization declared. Recent leaders from Ireland, Sweden, France, Germany, and Canada have prioritized trade and investment during their China engagements, often sidelining human rights concerns.
This pattern reflects a broader strategy among nations to diversify economic ties and reduce reliance on the United States. Yet HRW warns that cozying up to an authoritarian regime like China could exacerbate anxieties across Europe, especially amid discomfort with the Trump administration’s pressure tactics.
Finland’s Joint Action Plan with China for 2025-2029 exemplifies this imbalance. It outlines ambitious cooperation in innovation, green technology, and trade, with only vague nods to human rights. HRW criticizes this approach for ignoring China’s mounting pressures on Finland, from supply chain risks to direct influence.
The rights group accuses China of committing the world’s worst abuses, both domestically and abroad. In Xinjiang, ongoing crimes against humanity include arbitrary detentions, mass surveillance, and forced labor targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims. These practices threaten Finnish industries, particularly in clean energy and tech, despite impending EU regulations banning forced labor imports by late 2027.
China’s exploitative labor model extends far beyond Xinjiang, fueling a global race to the bottom on workers’ rights. This has cost local jobs in Europe and the US, stoking widespread resentment. In Hong Kong, critics face lengthy prison terms, while Tibet sees assaults on religious and cultural freedoms.
HRW further charges Beijing with targeting activists abroad, including in Europe, to silence dissent. Orpo’s visit offers a pivotal moment for Finland to assert its values amid economic temptations. Failure to address these issues risks complicity in a system that undermines global human rights standards.
