Writing a more exciting new chapter in Sino Danish cooperation | Ambassador's essay

On May 11, 1950, the People's Republic of China officially established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Denmark, making Denmark one of the earliest Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with New China. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 75 years ago, China and Denmark have crossed mountains and seas, continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and painted a wonderful picture of joint development.

Adhering to mutual respect is the foundation of China Denmark relations. In 1979, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark visited China, becoming the first Western head of state to visit China after China's reform and opening up. China Denmark relations have withstood the test of international turbulence, maintained healthy and stable development, and continuously opened up new prospects.   Under the guidance of the head of state's diplomacy, China and Denmark adhere to equal treatment, mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual benefit, promoting stable and far-reaching friendly cooperation between the two countries. Since the beginning of this year, high-level visits between the two sides have been frequent, and a series of cooperation agreements have been signed, injecting new impetus into the deepening of cooperation between the two countries.

Exchange and cooperation in various fields add colorful colors to China Denmark relations. Since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Denmark in 2008, bilateral exchanges and cooperation have shown a good trend of high-level, deep level, and wide-ranging cooperation. China has been Denmark's largest trading partner in Asia for several consecutive years, with nearly half of Danish companies considering China as one of their top two markets. Over 500 Danish companies have invested in more than 1300 projects in China. Andersen's fairy tales are widely known in China, and Chinese cultural activities such as "Happy Spring Festival" and Loong Boat Festival are deeply loved by Danish people. In 2010, the world famous Danish "Little Mermaid" statue went abroad for the first time to participate in the Shanghai World Expo, and was warmly welcomed, creating a vivid story of cultural exchanges between China and Denmark.

Green is a bright color in the relationship between China and Denmark. China and Denmark are both staunch supporters and active practitioners of green development, leveraging their respective strengths to carry out effective cooperation in the fields of environment, energy, and climate. Since the signing of the environmental cooperation agreement between the two sides in 1996, several Danish green enterprises have been active in the Chinese market, and Chinese companies have also demonstrated their skills in Denmark's solar power generation and submarine cable project construction. In August 2023, China and Denmark jointly released the "China Denmark Green Joint Work Plan", elevating green cooperation between the two countries to a new level. The green cooperation between China and Denmark has not only become a highlight in bilateral relations, but also contributed significantly to global efforts to address climate change and promote green transformation.

In today's world, chaos and turmoil are intertwined, and instability and uncertainty are more prominent, posing many common challenges to humanity. Both China and Denmark love peace, adhere to multilateralism, support free trade, and actively address climate change. Further strengthening cooperation between China and Denmark is not only in line with the common interests of both sides, but also beneficial to world peace, stability, development, and prosperity.

Currently, China and Denmark are taking the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to strengthen exchanges and promote cooperation. It is believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, the China Denmark comprehensive strategic partnership will continue to achieve new results, write a more exciting new chapter in China Denmark cooperation, bring more benefits to the two peoples, and make greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Denmark)