Denmark-China cooperation is moving back into focus after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Denmark’s Minister for Foreign Affairs (udenrigsminister) Lars Løkke Rasmussen in Copenhagen on Thursday, at the start of a wider Nordic tour aimed at strengthening political and economic ties.
The meeting came as China seeks closer links with Danish companies and as the European Union is trying to rebalance its wider trade relationship with Beijing. According to the Chinese foreign ministry’s account, Wang said China wanted to deepen cooperation with Denmark in science and innovation, green shipping, healthcare and tourism, while welcoming further Danish investment in China.
China seeks closer Denmark-China cooperation
Wang met Rasmussen in Copenhagen on the first stop of a visit that will also take him to Sweden, Finland and Norway between 2 and 8 July. Beijing described the trip as part of an effort to consolidate relations with four Nordic countries that were among the first European states to recognise the People’s Republic of China.
During the Copenhagen meeting, Wang said China hoped Denmark would play a “constructive role” in supporting “healthy and stable” EU-China relations. He also said China remained open to more investment from Danish companies, particularly in sectors where Denmark has strong international expertise.
The areas mentioned by Beijing are politically significant. Green shipping is closely linked to Denmark’s maritime economy and to the role of Danish firms in decarbonising global transport. Healthcare and life sciences are also central to Denmark’s export profile, while science and innovation remain a priority in both Danish industrial policy and China’s long-term development strategy.
Rasmussen did not publish a long formal statement after the meeting, but Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Udenrigsministeriet) said on X that the talks covered Danish-Chinese relations, trade policy and Russia’s war against Ukraine. Rasmussen was quoted as saying: “China is indispensable politically as well as economically. That’s why dialogue matters — also on issues we disagree on.”
Trade ties grow amid EU-China tensions
The Copenhagen talks took place against a wider European backdrop of concern over the EU’s trade imbalance with China. The European Commission says the EU’s goods trade deficit with China reached €359.9 billion in 2025, as EU imports from China rose while exports declined.
That imbalance has become one of the main issues in EU-China relations. Brussels has repeatedly called for greater reciprocity, a more level playing field for European companies and fewer barriers to market access in China. The Commission also describes China as a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival.
Denmark’s position is more nuanced. Unlike the EU as a whole, Danish-Chinese trade is often described as more balanced, and Denmark has strong export interests in sectors where China remains an important market. Statistics Denmark shows that the country exports goods and services worth more than DKK 2,000 billion each year, with maritime transport, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and machinery among its major export categories.
This helps explain why Copenhagen has an interest in keeping channels open with Beijing, while also aligning with the EU on questions of trade fairness, market access and strategic dependencies.
Green shipping and health are central to Danish interests
The Chinese readout placed particular emphasis on green cooperation. Wang said China was ready to launch negotiations with Denmark on an updated green joint work programme and to expand cooperation in scientific research, innovation and green shipping.
For Denmark, this is an area where economic interests and climate diplomacy overlap. Danish companies are active in shipping, wind energy, pharmaceuticals and environmental technology. A broader cooperation framework with China could offer commercial opportunities, but it also raises questions about technology transfer, market conditions and strategic exposure.
The healthcare sector is another important element. Danish pharmaceutical and life science companies have a long-standing presence in China, and Beijing’s interest in health cooperation reflects both market demand and the country’s ambition to strengthen its domestic health system.
Tourism and cultural exchanges were also mentioned, signalling that China wants the relationship to extend beyond trade and industry. After years of disruption caused by the pandemic and geopolitical tensions, people-to-people exchanges remain a useful diplomatic tool for rebuilding trust.
Ukraine and trade imbalances remain on the agenda
Before the meeting, Rasmussen said China’s support for Russia during the war in Ukraine and the EU’s trade imbalance with China would be discussed. These issues remain central to Denmark’s approach.
Denmark has been one of Ukraine’s strongest European supporters, including through military aid and long-term political backing. Copenhagen therefore sees China’s position on Russia as a key test of Beijing’s role in European security.
The trade question is also sensitive. The EU is trying to reduce strategic dependencies without fully decoupling from China. This approach, often described as “de-risking”, is particularly relevant for smaller, highly open economies such as Denmark, which rely on global trade but also need secure supply chains.
The meeting therefore reflected a familiar European balancing act: maintaining dialogue with China where cooperation is useful, while raising concerns over security, market access, industrial competition and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Wang’s Nordic tour continues in Sweden, Finland and Norway
Wang’s visit to Copenhagen is part of a broader diplomatic tour of Northern Europe. After Denmark, he is expected to visit Sweden, Finland and Norway.
In Norway, he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister (statsminister) Jonas Gahr Støre and Minister of Foreign Affairs (utenriksminister) Espen Barth Eide in Oslo on 6 July. The Norwegian leg of the visit will likely focus on green transition, global governance and bilateral trade, according to earlier statements from Beijing.
The tour suggests that China wants to strengthen ties with the Nordic countries at a time when relations with the EU are increasingly shaped by trade tensions, security concerns and questions of strategic autonomy.
For Denmark, the message from Copenhagen is cautious but clear. Denmark-China cooperation remains economically important, especially in green industries, shipping and healthcare. But it now develops within a more complex European framework, where dialogue with Beijing is tied to Ukraine, trade fairness and the future direction of EU-China relations.
