Denmark’s Foreign Minister visited China

In late June Danish Foreign Minister, Anders Samuelsen visited china, including to China Zun Tower. “It will be the first time ever a delegation is allowed to visit this building”, a security personal told the waiting crowd.

It was the impressive water pumping system delivered by Danish Company Grundfos that was the reason for the prominent visit, reported Embassy of Denmark, China. And the Danish technology is not delivered to just any building. When completed China Zun will be Beijing’s tallest building towering impressive 528 meter above the city.

Anders Samuelsen’s visit to China marked the 10 years anniversary of the strategic partnership between Denmark and China. The delivery of technology for the China Zun Tower is just one of many projects that Danish companies have been engaged in with the Chinese since the strategic partnership came into effect in 2008. Another recent example is an urban renovation project in the center of Beijing, where Danish green solutions will play a big role.

Denmark is among very few European countries, and the only Northern Country – that has a strategic partnership agreement with China. In total 80 Danish and Chinese government institutions at national and regional level are working closely together in as many as 58 areas.

The Foreign minister (right) inspects technology delivered by Grundfos at a Beijing site

The partnership agreement is the framework that has made projects possible in areas from green tech, energy efficiency, urbanization and health to pollution reduction, human rights, innovation, creative learning etc. Denmark also has five sector experts and an energy attaché in China.

Even for a Foreign Minister the celebration of such an impressive range of cooperation projects between government institutions does not take place every day. At a reception at the Danish Embassy in Beijing Anders Samuelsen spoke to 140 representatives from 40 Chinese government institutions. The Foreign Minister took the opportunity to look back at the ten years that has passed and encouraged everyone to look ahead for opportunities to deepen and develop the cooperation even further in the coming ten years.

During the visit to Beijing, the Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs was also received by his Chinese counterpart State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi as well as by Yang Jiechi, one of the 25 members of the Chinese Politburo. The foreign minister also met with Minister Zhong Shan, Ministry of Commerce.

Danish Foreign Minister, Anders Samuelsen

In Beijing as well as in Shanghai the minister met with representatives from the Danish Business community. He also took part in events related to new dedicated opportunities within Fintech and events to attract Chinese investments to Denmark.

The celebrating of the 10 years anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Denmark and China will continue in the rest of 2018; in September when Copenhagen is guest city for Beijing Design Week as well as in November for China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.

In Denmark the 10-years celebration will be marked by China Denmark Regions and Cities Forum in Aarhus in November 2018.

About Joakim Persson

Freelance business and lifestyle photojournalist

View all posts by Joakim Persson

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *