China-Finland Ties: Two Countries Deepen Cooperation on Climate, Cold-region Research
27 Jan 2026
As climate change accelerates across cold regions, particularly the Arctic and Pan-Arctic, scientists from China and Finland are strengthening a long-term research partnership. The collaboration combines advanced remote-sensing technology with Finland's world-leading expertise in snow and ice science. Launched in 2018, the joint research program has already produced key breakthroughs in snow physics and microwave remote sensing. CGTN's Liu Jiaxin speaks with a Chinese scientist involved in this cross-border scientific effort.
LIU JIAXIN, Beijing "What shared scientific needs brought the two sides together in 2018 to begin snow and ice cooperation, and how do the two sides' technological strengths complement each other?"
QIU YUBAO, Research Professor, Aerospace Information Research Institute, CAS "In snow research, particularly studies of snow cover, Finland is at the global forefront. China, on the other hand, has comparative advantages in remote sensing observation technologies. Both countries have vast snow-covered regions and broad application scenarios. In recent years, especially from 2023 to 2025, a major breakthrough has been the coupling of physical snow and ice process models with microwave remote sensing models. This has become a frontier topic internationally, enhancing both sensor observation capabilities and our understanding of Earth's geophysical processes. We are also jointly developing new technologies such as atmospheric corrected high-frequency detection of new snow, based on the experiments. These studies can provide strong support for emergency monitoring of snow-related disasters in southern China, especially for the humid atmosphere and shallow snow cover area."
LIU JIAXIN, Beijing "Over the course of this long-term cooperation, are there any personal or human stories that have left a deep impression on you?"
QIU YUBAO, Research Professor, Aerospace Information Research Institute, CAS "Experimental work is demanding. Sometimes we've had to go outdoors in the middle of the night to wait for satellite overpasses and conduct synchronized ground measurements. That was when I saw the aurora for the first time. The sky was completely covered in blue-green light. I was walking alone in the snow, with dogs barking in the village nearby. I was terrified at the time, but it has since become one of my most beautiful memories."
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China-Finland Ties: Two Countries Deepen Cooperation on Climate, Cold-region Research
As climate change accelerates across cold regions, particularly the Arctic and Pan-Arctic, scientists from China and Finland are strengthening a long-term research partnership. The collaboration combines advanced remote-sensing technology with Finland's world-leading expertise in snow and ice science. Launched in 2018, the joint research program has already produced key breakthroughs in snow physics and microwave remote sensing. CGTN's Liu Jiaxin speaks with a Chinese scientist involved in this cross-border scientific effort.
LIU JIAXIN, Beijing "What shared scientific needs brought the two sides together in 2018 to begin snow and ice cooperation, and how do the two sides' technological strengths complement each other?"
QIU YUBAO, Research Professor, Aerospace Information Research Institute, CAS "In snow research, particularly studies of snow cover, Finland is at the global forefront. China, on the other hand, has comparative advantages in remote sensing observation technologies. Both countries have vast snow-covered regions and broad application scenarios. In recent years, especially from 2023 to 2025, a major breakthrough has been the coupling of physical snow and ice process models with microwave remote sensing models. This has become a frontier topic internationally, enhancing both sensor observation capabilities and our understanding of Earth's geophysical processes. We are also jointly developing new technologies such as atmospheric corrected high-frequency detection of new snow, based on the experiments. These studies can provide strong support for emergency monitoring of snow-related disasters in southern China, especially for the humid atmosphere and shallow snow cover area."
LIU JIAXIN, Beijing "Over the course of this long-term cooperation, are there any personal or human stories that have left a deep impression on you?"
QIU YUBAO, Research Professor, Aerospace Information Research Institute, CAS "Experimental work is demanding. Sometimes we've had to go outdoors in the middle of the night to wait for satellite overpasses and conduct synchronized ground measurements. That was when I saw the aurora for the first time. The sky was completely covered in blue-green light. I was walking alone in the snow, with dogs barking in the village nearby. I was terrified at the time, but it has since become one of my most beautiful memories."
Source: CGTN