Vietnam and Denmark elevated their bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during To Lam’s state visit to Denmark on October 19-21. The new status opens a new stage of cooperation toward sustainable development and a green future. The countries had been traditional development partners, became comprehensive partners in 2013 and established a Green Strategic Partnership in 2023.
New momentum for cooperation
King Frederik X conferred on To Lam the Order of the Elephant, Denmark’s highest honour for members of the Royal Family and foreign heads of state, as the countries marked 55 years of diplomatic relations established in 1971. To Lam met Danish leaders, including the King, Queen Mary and Parliament Speaker Henrik Frandsen.
The two sides agreed to expand cooperation in the economy, trade, investment, science and technology, innovation, energy transition, the green and marine economies, education and people-to-people exchanges. They agreed to share experience in digital transformation, the green and circular economies and climate response, uphold the UN Charter, respect sovereignty and settle disputes peacefully. They also supported ASEAN’s position on the East Sea under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
After talks between To Lam and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the countries adopted a joint statement establishing the partnership. Denmark became the first Nordic country and the second EU member state to establish this framework with Vietnam. Frederiksen said Denmark was ready to share experience and technology and support renewable energy, energy efficiency, a just energy transition and Vietnam’s net-zero target for 2050.
Expanding business opportunities
Vietnam is accelerating a growth model based on science and technology, innovation and digital transformation while advancing its green transition and sustainable development. At a business forum attended by King Frederik X, To Lam and companies including LEGO, Maersk, Pandora, Carlsberg, CIP and Vestas, the sides discussed expanded cooperation.
To Lam encouraged Danish companies to move from “investing in Vietnam” to “investing alongside Vietnam” through stronger links with domestic businesses, and from “producing in Vietnam” to “researching, innovating and making in Vietnam”. Priority areas include green growth, offshore wind power, green logistics and seaport infrastructure, biomedicine, high-tech agriculture and the circular economy.
During the visit, ministries, agencies and businesses exchanged cooperation documents covering life sciences, advanced biomedicine, digital healthcare, sustainable energy, offshore wind power, aviation supply chains, quantum information technology and STEAM education. At the University of Copenhagen, To Lam outlined five directions for cooperation and stressed the role of science, technology, innovation and education in Vietnam’s development.
In Copenhagen, To Lam, his spouse and the delegation met Vietnamese embassy staff and community representatives from Denmark, Iceland and southern Sweden. Le Son Ha, president of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Sweden, stressed preserving the Vietnamese language and passing cultural values to younger generations. On October 19, Ngo Phuong Ly and Queen Mary presented Vietnamese books to BIBLIOTEKET Rentemestervej, a library and community cultural centre in Copenhagen. The countries said they would broaden and deepen cooperation after the visit.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
