Sino-finnish relations in the 1950s

Only abstract. Paper copies of master’s theses are listed in the Helka database (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Electronic copies of master’s theses are either available as open access or only on thesis terminals in the Helsinki University Library.Vain tiivistelmä. Sidottujen gradujen saatavuuden voit tarkistaa Helka-tietokannasta (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Digitaaliset gradut voivat olla luettavissa avoimesti verkossa tai rajoitetusti kirjaston opinnäytekioskeilla.Endast sammandrag. Inbundna avhandlingar kan sökas i Helka-databasen (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Elektroniska kopior av avhandlingar finns antingen öppet på nätet eller endast tillgängliga i bibliotekets avhandlingsterminaler.This thesis aims to examine the bilateral relations betvveen the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Finland during the 1950s. The timing of the work is determined by the fact that since Finland and the PRC agreed to establish diplomatic relations in the year 1950, relationship betvveen the two countries had vvitnessed friendly and stable development up until 1960, especially in terms of trade and cultural intercourse. The main sources of my research are the archives collected from the Archive Office of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. A total number of 335 archives relating to the topic 'Finland and China' can be found there in the specific time period 1950-1960. Most of the archives consist of official documentation, governmental report and diplomatic correspondence released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, vvhich strictly represents the Chinese governmenfs view tovvards Finland. In this thesis, I intend to mainly discuss tvvo research questions: l.Hovv did Finland and China decide to establish diplomatic relations in 1950? In other vvords, vvhat are the explanatory factors behind this decision? 2. Hovv did Sino-Finnish relations develop in the 1950s? I observe that Sino-Finnish relationship in the 1950s reflects the follovving features. First, political relationship vvas semi-active. Second, trade had alvvays been the chief stimulus and main focus in Sino-Finnish rapport. Finland vvas very interested in trading largely vvith China in exchange for foreign currency. Trade negotiations vvere held almost every year and the majority of governmental intercourse also touched the issue of bilateral trade, vvhich reflected a strong feature of trade politics. In addition, the grovving numbers of cultural exchange and nongovernmental interaction in the 1950s also contributed to Sino-Finnish rapprochement greatly