The Inaugural China Denmark Regions and Cities Forum co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC) and the Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing was successfully held in Beijing from December 5 to 6. State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Danish Minister for Gender Equality and Nordic Cooperation Karen Ellemann Kloch attended the Opening Ceremony and addressed the audience. President Li Xiaolin of the CPAFFC, Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong, Executive Vice Mayor of Beijing Li Shixiang, Vice Mayor of Beijing Wang Ning, Vice President of the CPAFFC Hu Sishe and the Danish Ambassador to China Carsten Damsgaard attended the Forum.
State Councilor Yang Jiechi pointed out in his speech that guided by the vision of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development proposed by President Xi Jinping, China is now developing towards the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects. It is at an opportune time for local governments from China and Denmark to share experience and seek practical cooperation. The two sides should align their development strategies, and explore new areas of practical cooperation, so as to better serve their own development and deliver benefits to the two countries and peoples.
Danish Minister for Gender Equality and Nordic Cooperation Karen Ellemann Kloch highlighted in her speech that the Forum has added a new dimension to the already strong city and regional cooperation built upon the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries from 2008. The purpose of the first China Denmark Regions and Cities Forum is to strengthen China-Denmark partnership even further by connecting sector cooperation with the established local level partnerships. She hoped that the Forum will become a continued platform for a more intense cooperation and sharing of know-how, technology and solutions to make the two countries’ cities and regions better.
About 400 government, academic, and business representatives from 31 provinces and cities of China and 6 regions and cities of Denmark attended the Forum themed “Focusing on Sustainable Development towards Shared Economic Growth”. They held in-depth exchanges and discussions on sub-topics as “green urbanisation”, “improving public health”, “sustainable food and agriculture”, and “strengthening people-to-people exchange.”
On the margins of the Forum, Minister Karen Ellemann Kloch, Ambassador Carsten Damsgaard and local government leaders visited Beijing’s scenes by biking in order to raise people’s awareness of environmental protection and low carbon transportation. The Danish delegation also visited Beijing Vehicle Emission Management Center, China-Denmark Milk Technology Cooperation Centre, and Fangzhuang Community Hospital.
A series of documents were signed during the Forum. Harbin Municipal People’s Government and the Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing signed Letter of Intent Between Harbin Municipal People’s Government and the Royal Danish Embassy on Deepening the Cooperation in Agriculture, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Investment Fond for Developing Countries (IFU) signed Financial Cooperation Protocol, Zhaoqing Municipal Government and Grundfos Holding A/S signed Memorandum of Understanding On Water and Wastewater Treatment Energy Saving and Environmental Protection Cooperation, Xinjiang Haozi Farm and SA Christensen signed Memorandum of Understanding regarding Dairy Farm in Xinjiang Province, Hebei Fengning Yuantianran Organic Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd. and SA Christensen signed Memorandum of Understanding regarding Organic Farm in Hebei Province, and Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism and Wonderful Copenhagen signed Joint Action Plan 2016-2017 between Beijing Tourism Commission and Wonderful Copenhagen.
China Denmark Regions and Cities Forum, co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing, is the first institutional cooperation platform, under China Denmark Joint Work Programme, for the two countries’ local governments.
