Your Excellency Mr. Søren Gade, Speaker of the Danish Parliament,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning!

Today, we are gathered here to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Denmark. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Denmark, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our distinguished guests and express our sincere gratitude to all the friends who have all along supported and contributed to China-Denmark relations. 

On May 11, 1950, China and Denmark formally established diplomatic relations. Denmark thus became one of the first Western countries to recognize the People’s Republic of China. Over the past 75 years, China and Denmark, have continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation across a wide range of areas. Together, we have written a wonderful chapter of common development, delivering tangible benefits to our peoples and contributing positively to world peace and prosperity. The 75 years of friendship and cooperation between China and Denmark offer some valuable inspirations that should be cherished by both countries.

First, mutual respect serves as a solid foundation of China-Denmark relations. While our nations differ in history, culture, political system and development path, we have maintained a sound and stable bilateral relationship for three-quarters of a century. The most important lesson is that we are committed to equality of nations regardless of their size and that we respect and accommodate each other’s core interests and concerns. The Danish government and parliament have recently reaffirmed their commitment to the one-China policy, which China appreciates. This year has seen frequent high-level interactions between our two countries. President Xi Jinping and His Majesty King Frederik X exchanged congratulatory messages on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, highlighting their commitment to strengthen the bilateral relations and setting the course for its future. In May, Foreign Minister Rasmussen visited China to jointly mark the anniversary with the Chinese side. Moving forward, we need to keep up the positive momentum in high-level exchanges, cement the political foundation of our bilateral relations and ensure  steady and long-term growth of the China-Denmark comprehensive strategic partnership.

Second, win-win cooperation has injected strong impetus into China-Denmark relations. Since the establishment of our comprehensive strategic partnership in 2008, China and Denmark have maintained high-level, in-depth, and broad-ranging exchanges and cooperation. China has been Denmark’s largest trading partner in Asia for many consecutive years. Over 500 Danish companies are investing in more than 1,300 projects in China. For nearly half of them, China is their No. 1 or No. 2 market globally. Not long ago, President Xi Jinping wrote back to the founder of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, pointing out that China has been and will remain an ideal, secure and promising destination for foreign investors. Believing in China is believing in a better tomorrow, and investing in China is investing in the future. President Xi expressed his hope that the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China and its members will continue to serve as a bridge between China and Denmark as well as between China and Europe, and contribute to greater mutual understanding, friendship, and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides. This year, the Danish Minister for Taxation, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Faroe Islands have all paid successful visits to China and signed a number of cooperation documents, creating new momentum for our pragmatic cooperation. The Chinese Minister of Science and Technology and his Danish counterpart have made reciprocal visits and jointly launched the “China-Denmark Green Innovation Day”. Focused on implementing the China-Denmark Green Joint Work Programme, our green cooperation has grown vigorously, not only emerging as a bright spot in bilateral relations, but also making significant contribution to the global response to climate change and green transition.

Third, people-to-people ties have provided strong support for China-Denmark relations. The Chinese and Danish peoples have a long history of friendly exchanges. We are both humble, friendly, family-oriented and peace-loving people that appreciate each other’s culture with curiosity and goodwill. Denmark often seen as a land of fairy tales, holds a special place in the hearts of the Chinese people . The works by Hans Christian Andersen are wellknown and much loved by the Chinese people for many generations; and the story of Bernhard Arp Sindberg, who risked his life to protect tens of thousands of ordinary Chinese during the Nanjing Massacre in 1937, is remembered with deep respect and gratitude. Meanwhile, the Danish people now know more about China. The giant pandas "Mao Sun" and "Xing Er" at the Copenhagen Zoo are adored by the Danes; traditional Chinese cultural events like Happy Chinese New Year Gala and the Dragon Boat Festival have attracted many enthusiastic Danish participants. Since China introduced the visa-free policy for Denmark in November 2024, China has become an even more popular destination among the Danish people. We believe the key to state-to-state relations lies in close bonds between peoples. The friendly exchanges between the peoples of China and Denmark are of far-reaching significance as they add to the substance and resilience of the relationship between our two countries. Here, I would also like to take this opportunity to express my special thanks to the Chinese community in Denmark for your invaluable role in deepening mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Danish people over the decades. I hope you will keep supporting China-Denmark cooperation in all sectors and play an even greater role in promoting China-Denmark friendship and people-to-people ties in the future. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

My dear friends,

The world today is in a flux with mounting instability and uncertainties. Both China and Denmark are peace-loving nations committed to multilateralism and free trade. Greater cooperation between China and Denmark is in the common interests of our two countries and also conducive to world peace, stability, development and prosperity. China and Denmark are taking the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations to expand exchanges, increase communication, and deepen cooperation. I am confident that, with our joint efforts, the China-Denmark comprehensive strategic partnership will continue to yield new fruits and write a more splendid new chapter in China-Denmark cooperation, bringing more benefits to our peoples and making further contributions to a community with a shared future for mankind. 

In conclusion, I wish to propose a toast,

To the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Denmark,

To the health and happiness of all the guests present,

To greater friendship and cooperation between China and Denmark,

Cheers!