On Monday, the Royal Danish Consulate General in Guangzhou and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies co-hosted an EU-China academic conference marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the European Union and China. The event was part of the Danish EU Presidency initiatives in Guangzhou this autumn.
The conference gathered Consuls General from ten EU member states, Guangdong authorities, Chinese scholars, business representatives, Chambers of Commerce, and students. Two Danish scholars, Benjamin Asmussen from the National Museum of Denmark and Mathias Istrup Karlsmose from Stockholm University, also took part. The discussions reviewed five decades of cooperation within trade, diplomacy, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.
Each of the European Consuls General presented perspectives on the EU in 2025, while Danish Consul General Søren Bindesbøll outlined the Danish EU Presidency’s key priorities.
In parallel with the conference, the Danish Consulate General and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies opened a “Memory Lane” photo exhibition to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Denmark and China. The exhibition highlights historic milestones, from the first diplomatic letter in 1674 to royal visits, Danish trade ventures in Guangzhou’s “Thirteen Factories,” and the longstanding Danish presence in the region.
