China Center in Kouvola opens today

The China Center in Kouvola, representing some 150 Chinese companies, is opening today amidst frantic last-minute installation work and empty cardboard boxes. Many stores are still unoccupied, as some of the merchandise has not arrived in Finland as yet.

"Many traders are on their way to Finland, while some goods are still in transit on the high seas. We simply have not had enough time", says director Siqi Wang, having to break off to answer his phone every few minutes.

Kouvola’s China Center is to house a total of 150 Chinese companies. Today, only some 30 of them are ready to open, while the others will be completed gradually this year and in 2008.

Helsingin Sanomat, Finland