Hu's visit to Denmark shows close relations

Bilateral trade expected to meet demand for clean technologies

President Hu Jintao arrived in Copenhagen on Thursday night for the beginning of his first state visit to Denmark, amid positive reactions from Chinese and Danish media.

At Copenhagen's Kastrup International Airport, Hu said he is looking forward to in-depth discussions with Danish leaders on strengthening all-round cooperation between the two countries and on other issues of mutual interest.

He added that he also expects to have extensive contact with representatives of a variety of sectors in Denmark in order to take the Sino-Danish comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

"It gives me great pleasure to pay a state visit to Denmark at the invitation of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II," Hu said.

"I wish to convey the cordial greetings and best wishes of the Chinese people to the people of Denmark."

During the visit, Thursday to Saturday, Hu will meet with the queen and with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The two countries will sign agreements on mutual investments, tariffs, energy, environmental protection, agriculture, education and culture, Song said, adding that people-to-people exchanges and cooperation will also be boosted.

This is the first time in the 62-year history of the People's Republic of China that a Chinese head-of-state has visited the Nordic country, and the visit has generated numerous reports in Chinese and Danish media.

Hu three-day tour is expected to usher in a new era of bilateral ties. The activities scheduled with Danish politicians, entrepreneurs and citizens reflect the strong desire on both countries to lift their ties to a new level, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

Trade between the countries will expand because the trip will further match China's strong demand for clean technologies and green solutions with the rising interest among Danish entrepreneurs to tap into the markets of emerging economies, Xinhua said.

The news agency quoted Denmark's Queen Margrethe II as saying that she and her husband are very much looking forward to Hu's visit and that she has been pleased to be able to promote Denmark in China.

Hu's visit is a sign of China's desire to increase strategic coordination and pragmatic cooperation with European countries, and it will raise Sino-European ties to a new high, China Radio International said on its website. 

Like Chinese media, Danish media has devoted great attention to Hu's visit ever since the Danish news agency Ritzau broke the news on June 5.

Denmark's English-language newspaper The Copenhagen Post published a series of stories covering the date of the visit, the outlook of Hu's meeting with Danish leaders and businesses' reaction to the visit.

"I am greatly looking forward to the historic visit of President Hu Jintao," the Post quoted Thorning-Schmidt as saying.

"China's role in the development of large parts of the world has grown rapidly in recent years. Both Denmark and China have much to gain by a closer relationship, and I look forward to discussing how we can further strengthen the depth and breadth of our strategic partnership."

Hu's visit will pave the way for more high-level visits from both countries and is important on a symbolic level, regardless of what they achieve in specific agreements, the Post quoted Professor Kjeld Erik Broedsgaard of the Asia Research Center at Copenhagen Business School as saying.

The visit establishes a good foundation for creating a number of new cooperative agreements between Denmark and China. It is of great importance for Denmark and especially Danish business, the Danish-Chinese Business Forum said on its website.

The visit has been closely followed by Danish media including Ritzau, DR News and Boersen.dk, and was featured on news updates on the country's radio and TV channels.

The positive media reaction toward Hu's visit indicates the sound diplomatic atmosphere between the two countries, said Zhao Junjie, an expert on European studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The high attention given the visit by the media shows the expectation of strategic cooperation between the two countries, Zhao added.