European Commissioner in charge of Economy Valdis Dombrovskis gives a press conference on a banking package to facilitate lending to households and businesses in the EU at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, 28 April 2020

European Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni hinted at the possibility that the Commission may utilise pan-European tools in the form of equities to rebalance risk in the Eurozone. On the same note, the French treasury proposed in a position paper an “equity fund” to recapitalise businesses or buy shares in domestic companies.

As the European crisis deepens and pressure on the Commission mounts, the following questions arise: How and in what scale will the Commission act? Will the Commission implement a direct or indirect financial instrument to stimulate economies of EU member states?

Corona, corona, corona. 

That’s the only thing we have heard in the last few months. Normally, even in the midst of crises, the still-positive sports news keeps rolling. 

Ambassador Cheon Joonho

 As Covid-19’s spread subdues in Finland and other countries, harsh restrictions to curb the transmission are being loosened gradually. Although this fight won’t end soon, hope to have a more normal life is getting high. In this global fight against Covid-19, countries have adopted various approaches, but the South Korean way has caught the eyes of the world, and for good reasons.  

In early March, my country had the highest number of confirmed cases in the world outside China. Many countries shut down their borders against South Korean travellers, and foreigners hurriedly left the country.

Never have I been so glad to see my mother, as I have been these last weeks. I could meet my dear mother in a modern building, sitting around a table, eating chocolates - even if parted by a glass wall and chatting through a sound system.

The global coronavirus crisis has created an unprecedented challenge for states to safeguard people’s right to health and even life. The crisis has also threatened economies as nations, in order to protect life, have been forced to restrict the activities of individuals as well as businesses.

Covid-19 has dragged us into a situation where both the present and the future are full of uncertainty. In decision making, this means that with any step we take, we cannot be certain of what the consequences could be.

This spring has been nothing like any of us expected. Our lives have been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The importance of information grows during a crisis. Amid the corona pandemic, Finland has been lucky to be several weeks behind many other countries in the development of this crisis. We have had the opportunity to utilise information and experiences from elsewhere.

The world is entering an era of unprecedented interdependence: Ambassador Chen Li

Since December 2019, China has been at the center of attention for a new and different reason, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and the ensuing pandemic. While China took control of the spread inside it’s territory, the infection has now spread to almost every country in the world and both infection and deaths rates have surpassed that of China’s in some other countries. Helsinki Times sat down with Ambassador Chen Li in this exclusive interview to discuss issues related to the pandemic and China’s side of the story in this still unfolding global crisis.