The Danish Foreign Minister on diplomatic trip to China

Lars Løkke Rasmussen recently traveled to China to meet with the country’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The objective was to sign a new cooperation agreement between the two countries.

The three-day visit began in Shanghai, where Løkke met with representatives from Danish companies, including Danfoss, Novo Nordisk, LEGO and Mærsk. Afterwards, he went on to Beijing, where the meeting with Wang Yi took place.

Global security and a new green work program were among the topics on the agenda. The hope was to create a so-called “work program” for the cooperation between China and Denmark.

“Europe is getting smaller and smaller. We take up less and less demographically and less and less economically. Our influence on the rest of the world is under pressure. This is partly because the Chinese have made such large investments and created relationships of dependence,” Løkke said ahead of the trip.

Opposition parties have spoken critically about the visit, citing issues including China’s attitude towards Taiwan and a record on international treaties.

Løkke has later stated that it remains in Denmark’s interest to have a good relationship with Beijing.

“If you had that approach to the rest of the world, that we would only work with those who are like us, you’d be left in a very small club,” he said.

The trip was backed by the Confederation of Danish Industry that deems Denmark’s trade with China crucial. A spokesperson from the opposition has said that the trade argument does not weigh heavily enough against the other concerns.

Rasmussen told news wire Ritzau that he was taking an open approach to the new partnership with China.