Carsten Boyer Thogersen, a former consul general of Denmark in China’s Shanghai and Guangzhou, said in an interview recently that he hoped the important trade between Europe and China would continue for years to come.
“I have been so fortunate in my life visit China rather early and my first visit to China was in 1976 and in the last 45 years I have travelled extensively in Chinese provinces and regions and had the opportunity to see for myself, all the changes in China, not least in the rural areas – and these changes have been massive.
I believe that Chinese people my age have seen for themselves a social and economic development which took more than 120 years to carry through in European countries. They have seen [the same pace] of changes [in their own country] during their own lifetimes.
Thogersen said he believed the ‘dual circulation’ economy of China should be seen as a remedy and a policy to make sure that China’s internal national market remains strong because the country could not fully rely on external markets.
“In terms of trade, the trade with China and international economic cooperation, I very much hope that this will continue. And I am saying this as a Danish person and as a European, because open and regulated international trade has always been crucial for a country like Denmark – and for many other European countries.”
He also said that: “If China has to continue its economic development it also has to continue to keep its doors open and take part in international trade.”
“Simultaneously, European countries, Denmark, in order for our consumers to prosper, we have to continue to expand our trade and economic cooperation with China.
“So, I hope very much that the very important trade between Europe and China will continue as it has done over the last 40 year,” he concluded.
Source: Transcription from Globalink video
