Vice-Premier Meets Danish Foreign MinisterChinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen met Monday with Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mogens Lykketoft."China is willing to work together with Denmark to push the bilateral relationship to a higher level," Qian told Lykketoft. Qian said the Sino-Danish relationship has shown a good momentum for development in recent years and contact between governments, parliaments, political parties and people of the two sides has increased. Economic and trade relations have also developed rapidly, Qian said to Lykketoft, who is visiting China and is scheduled to attend the third ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which is to be held on May 24 and 25 in Beijing. The ASEM, or Asia-Europe Meeting, involves 15 members of the European Union (EU) and 10 Asian countries. Qian said China and Denmark have made remarkable achievements in cooperation in culture, science, technology, transportation, environmental protection and other sectors. He said that the Chinese government attaches importance to Denmark's role in the EU and values its ties with Denmark. China wishes to develop a long-term, stable and friendly relationship with the European nation, he said. The two sides can keep working to tap cooperation potential, Qian said. Lykketoft, who has visited China several times, said that he is impressed by China's tremendous changes and rapid socio-economic development. As an EU member, he said, Denmark is willing to contribute to increasing the EU's cooperation with China. The foreign minister expressed appreciation for China's policy to develop the vast western regions and said Denmark is willing to make its contributions in this regard. Qian and Lykketoft also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common interest. Before the meeting, Lykketoft made a speech on EU integration at the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing. Lykketoft is here as guest of Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan. |
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