Hanoi(VNA) - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s upcoming visit to Denmark at theinvitation of Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen is expected to help boostthe comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

Vietnam and Denmark officially establisheddiplomatic ties on November 25, 1971. In 1980, Denmark opened its embassy inHanoi and Vietnam inaugurated its embassy in Copenhagen in 2000. Since then,the bilateral relationship has developed intensively and extensively acrossfields. 

2018 marks the fifth anniversary of the establishmentof the Vietnam-Denmark comprehensive partnership. The two countries havecoordinated closely and effectively at multilateral forums, especially theUnited Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the ASEAN-EU framework. 

Two-way trade reached 664.6 million USD in 2017.Vietnam exports garments-textiles, footwear, timber products, metals,handicrafts, electric equipment and coffee to Denmark, while importing dairyproducts, equipment and machines, chemicals, pharmaceutical products andseafood from the country. 

Denmark is one of the first North Europeancountries to invest in Vietnam. The country ranks 26th out of 129countries and territories making investment in the Southeast Asian nation with 132projects valued at more than 686 million USD. 

These projects mainly focus on processing andmanufacturing industry; transport and warehouse; wholesale, retail and repair;science-technology; and agro-forestry-fishery.

The most outstanding projects include the CaiMep International Terminal worth 268.6 million USD, the 79.6 million USDSoutheast Asia beer factory, and 50 million USD Nisan Vietnam Ltd., Co.specialising in wholesale, retail and repair services.
However, Vietnambusinesses have yet to invest in Denmark. 

Denmark is also one of the first Western nationsto provide development assistance to Vietnam and among the biggest providers ofnon-refundable official development assistance (ODA) capital. 

Since 1972, the country has funnelled more than1 billion USD in ODA into Vietnam, about 64 million USD each year, focusing oninfrastructure development, poverty reduction, sustainable development,administrative reform, environmental protection and support of small-andmedium-sized enterprises. Most Danish-funded projects are implemented in the northern,Central Highlands and central regions. 

Of note, Denmark is Vietnam’s biggest donor inclimate change, with up to 40 million USD poured into programmes on climatechange adaptation and mitigation. 

Besides, Denmark has helped Vietnam implement itsnational target programme on climate change with about 20 projects inlocalities, and closely coordinated with Vietnam in the Global Green Growth Forum. 

The two sides inked a letter of intention oncooperation between their education ministries in September 2009, and amemorandum of understanding (MoU) on educational cooperation at the ministeriallevel in December 2010. They established a joint working group to materialisethe MoU in June 2011.


PM Phuc’s Denmark visit is part of histrip to Europe to attend the 12th ASEM Summit(ASEM 12) and the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 Summit(P4G) in Denmark, and visit several European nations and the European Union fromOctober 14-21.-VNA