Finland's President Discusses Balticconnector Gas Pipeline Damage with Chinese Leader

Finland's President Sauli Niinistö held talks with the leader of China, Xi Jinping, regarding the incident involving the Balticconnector gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, where the Chinese vessel NewNew Polar Bear is suspected to be involved. This information was shared by the office of the President of Finland.

"The presidents acknowledged the constructive dialogue between the countries on the Balticconnector pipeline issue," the statement said.

The office of the President of Finland emphasized that, in addition to the matter of the damaged gas pipeline, Sauli Niinistö addressed the issue of the war in Ukraine and its potential impacts on global security, defining China's role in achieving a just and lasting peace. During the negotiations, the parties also discussed the need to combat climate change and cooperation in this regard, as well as relations between the EU and China, including recent events and challenges.

"The leaders agreed on the importance of genuine, constructive, and interregional dialogue in addressing and preventing global issues," the statement added.

Earlier, Finland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, expressed trust in the Chinese authorities regarding the investigation into the damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, possibly involving the Chinese vessel.

It is worth noting that the authorities of Finland and Estonia are conducting their investigation into the damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and the telecommunications cable connecting the two countries, which occurred around October 7-8.

After concluding the initial investigation, the focus of the authorities shifted to the Chinese vessel NewNew Polar Bear, which was in the area during the incident, with the Finnish police suspecting the vessel of dropping an anchor to the seabed, causing the destruction of the gas pipeline and several telecommunications cables.

The publication "The Gaze" also reported that NATO countries conducted underwater infrastructure defence exercises in the Baltic Sea in early December. The Finnish Navy, the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, and the Estonian Navy participated in these exercises. According to the Chief of the General Staff of Finland, Janne Huusko, the activation of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) emergency response plan and the strengthening of NATO's maritime presence in the Baltic Sea are comprehensive efforts aimed at enhancing control and protection of underwater infrastructure.