China important market for Denmark's maritime industry: minister

COPENHAGEN, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Denmark has accepted China's invitation to co-host a prestigious shipping fair in Shanghai, a landmark collaboration in the global maritime industry, the Danish government said on Monday.

"China is an important market for the Danish maritime industry, so I accepted the invitation to co-host Marintec China 2023," Morten Bodskov, Denmark's minister for industry, business and financial affairs, said in a press release.

This will be the first time for a non-Chinese entity to co-host the event and this highlights the strategic importance of the Chinese market for Denmark, especially for its maritime equipment industry, the press release said.

The minister emphasized the economic importance of the Chinese market, noting that China has become the third largest market for Danish maritime equipment, highlighting the mutual benefits of Danish-Chinese maritime cooperation.

"Danish equipment companies employ more than 5,000 people in China, and the industry's exports to the country amount to 4 billion Danish kroner (580.7 million U.S. dollars)," Bodskov said.

Denmark is expected to be represented by 30 to 40 companies from Blue Denmark, the collective name for Denmark's maritime industry, which accounts for roughly a quarter of the country's total exports.

Denmark, according to the press release, is reinforcing its position as a leader in maritime innovation, particularly in green technologies, by participating in Marintec China.

"We have long since set the course towards a climate-neutral future, but we need the whole world on board," Anne H. Steffensen, chief executive officer of Danske Rederier, or Danish Shipping, said in the press release.

"This will be a gain for the climate, of course, but also for the Danish shipping companies that are leading the way and thus helping to make the green transition a good business," she said.

Marintec China, which is expected to attract over 70,000 participants from over 100 countries, will be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in China from Dec. 5 to Dec. 8.