Chinese FM holds talks with Danish counterpart on relations

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Beijing on Monday to discuss relations between their two countries.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that over the past 75 years since China and Denmark established diplomatic relations, the two countries have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, developed a comprehensive strategic partnership, and fostered high-level mutually beneficial cooperation led by green development.

He said the two countries should take the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between them this year as an opportunity to maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen political mutual trust, and push for greater development of China-Denmark relations.

The most important experience from the healthy and steady development of China-Denmark ties over the past 75 years is that the two countries have consistently treated each other as equals regardless of their size, respecting and accommodating each other's core interests, Wang said, calling for joint efforts to consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations.

China fully respects Denmark's sovereignty and territorial integrity regarding the Greenland issue and hopes that Denmark will continue to support China's legitimate position on issues concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.

China is ready to work with Denmark to uphold two-way opening up, take green development as a key focus to inject new impetus into practical cooperation, and continuously deepen bilateral collaboration in economy and trade, scientific research and innovation, green economy and other fields, Wang said.

China is committed to expanding high-level opening up to the rest of the world and create broader development space for foreign-funded enterprises. The country welcomes Danish companies to invest and start up businesses in China and hopes that Denmark can provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises, he continued.

He called for efforts of both sides to enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges to continuously accumulate positive energy for the development of bilateral relations.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU), Wang said, noting that China-EU ties have been steadily turning for the better since the beginning of the year.

He recalled that the leaderships of the two sides have reaffirmed the political consensus for the advancement of China-EU ties in their earlier exchanges of congratulations on the anniversary.

Noting that Denmark will assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of the year, Wang said China stands ready to enhance dialogue and cooperation with the EU to jointly promote sound development of bilateral relations, and expressed the hope that Denmark will play an active role in this regard.

The current international situation is undergoing drastic changes, severely impacting the post-WWII international system and pushing global governance to a new crossroads. China and Denmark have reached broad consensus on upholding multilateralism, defending free trade, and meeting other common challenges since Denmark assumed its role as a new non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Wang said.

China is willing to enhance coordination and cooperation with European countries including Denmark, jointly safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and the multilateral trading mechanism with the World Trade Organization at its center, and contribute to world peace, stability, development and prosperity, he said.

For his part, Rasmussen said that the Danish government and parliament are firmly committed to the one-China policy.

Denmark is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges with China, enhance dialogue and mutual understanding in various fields, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in such sectors as investment and green transformation, and intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges, so as to promote sustained and vigorous development of bilateral relations, he said.

Rasmussen said Denmark is open to Chinese companies' investment in Denmark and Danish enterprises are also willing to make long-term investment and take deep roots in the Chinese market.

Denmark is ready to play its role in promoting healthy development of EU-China relations, he said.

He said Denmark firmly supports free trade, opposes decoupling, and believes that trade wars are not in the interest of any party.

Denmark looks forward to strengthening communication and coordination on multilateral affairs with China, jointly safeguarding the multilateral system and international order, and sustaining the advancement of globalization, Rasmussen said.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues including the Ukraine crisis.

After the talks, two sides exchanged copies of the front page of the Chinese People's Daily newspaper running the first report on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Denmark, copies of diplomatic notes on Denmark's recognition of the People's Republic of China, and commemorative envelopes marking the 75 anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Rasmussen is on an official visit to China from May 17 to 20 at the invitation of Wang.

Chinese FM holds talks with Danish counterpart on relations

Chinese FM meets visiting Danish counterpart

Chinese FM meets visiting Danish counterpart

Chinese FM meets visiting Danish counterpart

Chinese FM meets visiting Danish counterpart

China's first Hualong One nuclear power project in the northern part of the country saw completion of the dome installation for its No. 1 unit in Weihai City of Shandong Province on Saturday, marking a key step forward in the construction of nuclear power generation facilities in northern China, according to China Huaneng Group.

Dome installation is a major milestone in any nuclear power project construction, as the reactor's steel liner is a core safety barrier, ensuring the plant's integrity and airtightness to contain radioactivity. The No. 1 unit's dome is the top structure of the nuclear island's reactor steel liner, composed of 70 wall panels, weighing 227.9 tons and covering an area the size of four basketball courts.

"Hualong One is China's independently developed third-generation pressurized water reactor nuclear technology. It features a double-layer safety containment design and a dual active and passive safety system, with international-leading safety performance. The rate of domestically sourced key equipment exceeds 90 percent, and each unit has a 1.2 million kilowatt capacity. The first phase expansion project of the Shidao Bay has led to the first application of Hualong One in in northern China and provides valuable experience for similar projects going forward in northern China," said Chang Chongxi, general manager of Huaneng Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Development Co., Ltd.

The Huaneng Shidao Bay base is China's first major advanced nuclear power base to simultaneously apply homegrown third- and fourth-generation nuclear technologies. It is already home to the world's first fourth-generation high-temperature gas-cooled reactor demonstration plant, and will be expanded with four Hualong One pressurized water reactors in two phases. Upon completion, the base will be capable of generating 35 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power 17 million three-person households for a year.

Shidao Bay nuclear plant of 35 billion kilowatt-hours annual output hits major construction milestone