On May 24, 2024, a significant event was held in Copenhagen to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Sino-Danish Maritime Transport Agreement. This event was jointly hosted by the Danish Maritime Authority and the China Cultural Center in Copenhagen. Distinguished attendees included QIN Jie, the Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of China in Denmark; YI Jiyong, Deputy Director General of the Water Transport Bureau at the Ministry of Transport; ZHENG Wen, Director of the China Cultural Center in Copenhagen; Brian Wessel, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Danish Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs; and Andreas Nordseth, Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority, along with other high-level representatives from relevant authorities, industry sectors and from the academic world.
The agreement was originally signed in Beijing in 1974 by then-Chinese Vice Premier DENG Xiaoping and then-Danish Prime Minister Poul Hartling. Over the past fifty years, this historic agreement has greatly enhanced trade between the two nations and fostered mutual understanding and friendship. The recent implementation of the “Sino-Danish Green Joint Work Program (2023–2026)” highlights the growing importance of maritime cooperation.
During the 50th anniversary celebration of the maritime agreement, delegates from both China and Denmark gathered in Copenhagen to reminisce about past successes and discuss future collaborative opportunities. They agreed that there is considerable potential for maritime cooperation and to continue their joint efforts under the principles of mutual benefit to advance the maritime industry’s development further.
QIN Jie emphasized the increasing significance of maritime transport as a vital element of global trade amidst deepening globalization. He noted that the collaboration between China and Denmark in this field will make new and greater contributions to the stability and prosperity of the global economy. There is every reason to believe that the Sino-Danish Maritime Transport Agreement will continue to forge new chapters of cooperation and drive towards a more promising future.
In the welcoming remarks, ZHENG Wen specifically mentioned that in many languages, including Danish, the pronunciation of “tea” (TEA) originates from dialects in regions such as Fujian. This is attributed to the historical rise of the Maritime Silk Road, which introduced Chinese tea culture to countries beyond the seas through maritime trade, thereby fostering exchanges between China and the world.
Maritime transport, as a crucial link connecting the world, fosters economic and trade cooperation between China and Denmark and facilitates cultural exchanges and mutual learning between the two countries. The event also featured a special exhibition marking the 74th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Denmark, along with performances showcasing Chinese tea art and music.
//DANISH
Den 24. maj 2024 blev der afholdt en betydningsfuld begivenhed i København for at fejre 50-årsdagen for den første dansk-kinesiske samarbejdsaftale om maritim transport. Begivenheden blev arrangeret i fællesskab af Søfartsstyrelsen og det kinesiske kulturcenter i København. Blandt de fremtrædende deltagere var QIN Jie, Chargé D’affaires for den kinesiske ambassade i Danmark; YI Jiyong, vicegeneraldirektør for Vandtransportbureauet i Transportministeriet; ZHENG Wen, direktør for det kinesiske kulturcenter i København; Brian Wessel, vicedepartementschef i Erhvervsministeriet; og Andreas Nordseth, generaldirektør for Søfartsstyrelsen, sammen med andre højtstående repræsentanter fra relevante myndigheder, industri sektorer og fra den akademiske verden.
Aftalen blev oprindeligt underskrevet i Beijing i 1974 af DENG Xiaoping, daværende kinesisk vicepremierminister, og Poul Hartling, daværende dansk statsminister. I løbet af de sidste halvtreds år har denne historiske samarbejdsaftale i høj grad forbedret handlen mellem de to lande og fremmet gensidig forståelse og venskab. Den nylige implementering af “Grønt Fælles Arbejdsprogram (2023–2026)” understreger den stigende betydning af maritimt samarbejde.
I forbindelse med 50-årsdagen for den maritime samarbejdsaftale samledes repræsentanter fra både Kina og Danmark i København for at mindes tidligere succeser og drøfte fremtidige samarbejdsmuligheder. De blev enige om, at der er betydeligt potentiale for maritimt samarbejde og for at fortsætte deres fælles bestræbelser under principperne om gensidig fordel for at fremme yderligere udvikling af maritime industrier.
QIN Jie fremhævede den voksende betydning af maritim transport som et afgørende element i den globale handel i en tid med øget globalisering. Han bemærkede, at samarbejdet mellem Kina og Danmark på dette område vil bidrage yderligere til stabiliteten og velstanden i verdensøkonomien. Der er enhver grund til at tro, at den kinesisk-danske maritime samarbejdsaftale vil fortsætte med at skabe nye kapitler af samarbejde og drive mod en mere lovende fremtid.
I sin velkomsttale nævnte ZHENG Wen specifikt, at ordet “te” (TEA) i mange sprog, herunder dansk, stammer fra dialekter i regioner som Fujian. Dette skyldes den historiske opkomst af den Maritime Silkevej, som introducerede kinesisk te-kultur til lande ud over havene gennem maritim handel og dermed fremmede udvekslinger mellem Kina og resten af verden.
Maritim transport spiller en afgørende rolle som bindeled, der forbinder verden, og fremmer økonomisk og handelsmæssigt samarbejde mellem Kina og Danmark, samt letter kulturelle udvekslinger og gensidig læring mellem de to lande. Begivenheden omfattede også en særlig udstilling, der markerede 74-årsdagen for de diplomatiske forbindelser mellem Kina og Danmark, samt fremvisninger af kinesisk te-kunst og musik.
