More than half a century of nurturing friendship
There is much to say about the warm and gracious welcome extended by King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark to General Secretary and President To Lam, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation. Departing from customary diplomatic protocol, fighter jets appeared alongside the aircraft carrying General Secretary and State President To Lam, his spouse, and the delegation as it entered Danish airspace, escorting it to Copenhagen. King Frederik X and Queen Mary personally welcomed the Vietnamese leader and his spouse at the airport. They also extended the special honor of inviting the couple to ride in two horse-drawn carriages to Christian VII’s Palace. These gestures reflected Denmark’s high regard for Viet Nam and the importance it attached to the visit by General Secretary and President To Lam.
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General Secretary and President To Lam and his spouse present a statue entitled “Uncle Ho’s return to his hometown” to officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and members of the Vietnamese community in Denmark, Iceland and southern Sweden. |
During his audience with General Secretary and President To Lam, King Frederik X shared that Viet Nam and its people held a special place in the Danish Royal Family’s affections. Prince Henrik once lived and studied in Ha Noi, where he formed many fond memories of the city. In 2009, he brought Frederik and Mary back to West Lake, Phan Dinh Phung Street and the school he had attended. These places in Ha Noi have since become cherished shared memories of the Danish Royal Family.
On his first state visit to Denmark in his new capacity, General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his sincere appreciation for the Royal Family’s warm hospitality. Recalling King Frederik X’s visits to Viet Nam when he was Crown Prince, the Vietnamese leader acknowledged the King’s contributions to the bilateral relations. These included his 2011 visit to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations and his 2022 visit with Crown Princess Mary and a business delegation to promote the green transition, helping pave the way for the establishment of the Green Strategic Partnership in 2023. These longstanding ties are increasingly reflected in economic cooperation, with more than 150 Danish companies operating in Viet Nam.
Speaking at the University of Copenhagen, the Vietnamese top leader recalled that in 1971, when Viet Nam was still at war, Denmark was among the first Western European countries to establish diplomatic relations with the country. This support bears out the Vietnamese saying: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
The closeness between the two countries was also evoked by the General Secretary and President through references to Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, which have been part of the childhood of many Vietnamese people. General Secretary and President To Lam stressed that the nearly 9,000 kilometers separating Ha Noi and Copenhagen had never been a barrier, as the two peoples had always held each other in high regard and shared sincere affection.
Building on this foundation, bilateral cooperation is now entering a new chapter. During the visit, leaders of the two countries agreed to elevate their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. There is an interesting historical parallel: 55 years ago, Denmark was among the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with Viet Nam; today, Denmark has once again become the first Nordic country to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Viet Nam. As King Frederik X affirmed, Denmark and Viet Nam have much in common. The visit will help consolidate their friendship and further advance their bilateral relations.
Green cooperation for shared value creation
Building on a deep-rooted foundation of trust, General Secretary and President To Lam, in his policy address at the University of Copenhagen, put forward a new vision for cooperation, stressing the need to adapt flexibly to changing times. The two countries need a comprehensive and more strategic “new model of cooperation”, bringing together Denmark’s strengths in science, technology and the green transition with Viet Nam’s political resolve and potential for rapid, sustainable development. During this state visit to Denmark, through talks, audiences and meetings, General Secretary and President To Lam and senior Danish leaders discussed and reached agreement on numerous key issues, both immediate and long-term, to advance the positive bilateral relationship.
On October 21, General Secretary and President To Lam and the high-level Vietnamese delegation visited Lynetteholm, a major project to build an artificial peninsula and a new urban district in Copenhagen. Lynetteholm is being developed through land reclamation. It is expected to cover approximately 275 hectares, equivalent to around 380 football pitches. A further 20 to 25 years of land reclamation will be needed before the new area is fully completed. Yet Copenhagen is already investing decades of planning in creating additional living space and strengthening the city’s protection against storm surges.
Viet Nam has many coastal urban areas, economic zones and production regions. Although the two countries have different conditions, both must address the relationship between economic development and protecting people’s lives in the face of climate change. Applying Denmark’s experience in climate forecasting and long-term planning to help Viet Nam develop safer coastal regions, while promoting economic growth, protecting the environment and safeguarding livelihoods, is one concrete avenue for cooperation highlighted by the General Secretary and State President during the visit.
During the visit, General Secretary and President To Lam and King Frederik X met with leading business representatives and attended the Viet Nam-Denmark Business Forum. A key highlight was the Vietnamese leader’s proposal for three new shifts in cooperation: from “investing in Viet Nam” to “investing alongside Viet Nam”; from “manufacturing in Viet Nam” to “researching, innovating and manufacturing in Viet Nam”; and from “growth” to “green and sustainable growth.”
As the Danish King observed, Denmark makes effective use of energy and renewable energy, and has strengths in maritime transport and modern maritime governance. Viet Nam, meanwhile, has a dynamic economy and a young workforce, with science, technology, innovation and digital transformation serving as key drivers in its ambition to become a strong maritime nation.
During the visit, General Secretary and President To Lam also emphasized people-to-people connectivity, education and training, and stronger exchanges between the two peoples as the long-term foundations of the bilateral relations. At the University of Copenhagen, he proposed studying the possibility of establishing a branch campus in Viet Nam. This proposal could bring educational and research opportunities closer to learners in Viet Nam, while helping prepare the human resources needed for the country to take on a greater role in research and innovation in cooperation with Danish businesses.
Together with education, the Vietnamese leader stressed the importance of mutual understanding and people-to-people ties. He hoped that Vietnamese experts, scientists, entrepreneurs and students in Denmark would draw on their knowledge, experience and local networks to expand cooperation, promote exchanges and strengthen ties between the two countries.
The state visit to Denmark by General Secretary and President To Lam concluded successfully. The visit marked an important historic milestone in the bilateral relations, demonstrating the strategic vision, political resolve and mutual trust of the two countries’ leaders, while providing fresh impetus for Viet Nam-Denmark relations to reach a new level.
Translated by Quynh Oanh