Danish Ambassador Visits Xinjiang

Last week, Danish Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen visited Xinjiang to meet local officials and promote Danish companies.  From March 16th to 20th Danish Ambassador to China, Friis Arne Petersen, travelled to Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and visited the three cities Urumqi, Kashgar and Kelamayi.


During his stay in Xinjiang the Ambassador met with high level officials and promoted Danish companies in the region.


On the 17th of March the Ambassador met with Mr. Kurexi Maihesuti, Vice Chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, to discuss the economic development of the region, the Go West Strategy and further political development of the province.


“It’s clear that the Chinese Leadership wants to further increase the development of provinces like Xinjiang in many fields in the future. The planned expansion of the high speed railway will further improve Xinjiang’s future accessibility,” says Friis Arne Petersen, Danish Ambassador.
In Urumqi the Ambassador also met with Mr. Li Hongbin, vice mayor of Urumqi Muncipal government.


The same day the Ambassador travelled to the city of Kelamayi in the northern part of Xinjiang. Here he met with Mr. Chen Xinfa, mayor of Kelamayi, to promote heating and energy-saving concepts by the Danish heating equipment supplier APV.


Later the Ambassador travelled to the oasis city Kashgar in western Xinjiang, where he met with Mr Wang Yongzhi, Deputy Commissioner of Kashgar Prefecture Administration. Kashgar is the cultural center of the Uyghur people, the biggest minority in Xinjiang, and here the Ambassador got to see the cultural diversity of the region.


Xinjiang is the biggest of China’s provinces located in the most western part of the country and it borders eight different countries. The Region holds many ethnic minorities where Uyghurs and Han Chinese are the biggest.


“Xinjiang is a region that faces challenges but also holds many opportunities, and the region offers great business opportunities for Danish companies. The cultural diversity of Xinjiang is fascinating and I hope to visit the region again,” says Friis Arne Petersen.


The trip to Xinjiang is one out of many visits to selected provinces made by the Ambassador in 2011. These visits aim at further improve ties with local leaders, facilitating meetings and debates with scholars and students, promoting Danish business interests and paying visits to civil society organisations and project.

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