Recently the Danish Ambassador to China Friis Arne Petersen visited Guangdong Province to meet local officials, companies and students.
The Ambassador met with vice governor of Guangdong Province, Xiao Zhiheng, to discuss the big economic growth of the province. Also the future challenges of the region, such as strengthening of innovation and social reforms, was discussed.
Xiao Zhiheng expressed hope that Guangdong could use Denmark’s experience to improve people’s happiness index.
The Ambassador replied that the Danish welfare system is a big part of the explanation why Denmark always is listed as one of the happiest people in the world.
During his stay the Ambassador visited three Chinese companies in Guangdong, the telecommunications companies ZTE and Huawei and the gene research company BGI.
The two latter are already doing business in Denmark, and the Ambassador had the chance to discuss with the companies the possibility of expanding their business in Denmark.
“It is nice to meet Chinese companies with such a positive impression of Denmark. Guangdong has a special culture of entrepreneurship, and I look forward to even more companies from Guangdong will do business in Denmark in the future,” says Friis Arne Petersen.
The Ambassador also had time to visit the Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou – the capital city of Guangdong Province – to meet with professors and students.
The trip to Guangdong 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.
