China calls for cooperation with Denmark under Belt and Road initiative

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for exploring fields and ways of cooperation with Denmark under the Belt and Road initiative.

Xi was meeting with Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, who was in China on a four-day official visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

He called for launching a new type of cooperation featuring high tech and high added value, with a focus on the cyclic economy, energy conservation and environmental protection, food safety, agricultural technology, renewable energy and urbanization.

Xi called on both countries to plan cooperation on a strategic level and from a long-term perspective, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, boost exchanges of personnel at all levels and enhance cooperation between the two governments, legislative bodies, political parties, localities, and peoples.

The two countries should continue and step up cooperation in the hunt for corrupt officials who have fled abroad and recover their illegal assets, Xi said.

He also called for social and in-depth people-to-people exchanges in areas including tourism, giant panda research and football.

China expects to see enhanced coordination in multi-lateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the Arctic Council, said the president, pledging to expand arctic cooperation with Denmark.

It is not only in line with each country's interests but also conducive to China-Northern Europe cooperation and China-EU relations to develop a sound, steady and sustainable China-Denmark comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi told Rasmussen.

Xi said he hoped the two countries can make 2017 "a harvest year" of bilateral ties.

China supports European integration and is willing to forge the China-EU partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization, Xi said, adding that China will enhance communication with Denmark and other Nordic countries.

Rasmussen applauded China's rapid economic and social development and its important role in UN peacekeeping and combatting climate change.

Rasmussen said China-Denmark relations have made great progress since the comprehensive strategic partnership was established in 2008, noting that Denmark upholds the one-China policy.

Denmark will work with China to tap potential in health, food, education, culture, tourism and football cooperation to promote bilateral trade and people-to-people exchanges, Rasmussen said.

Denmark is ready to have close communication with China in international affairs, step up cooperation in sustainable development, jointly maintain the global free trade system and push forward EU-China relations, Rasmussen said.

Also on Thursday, Rasmussen met with top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang on ties between the Danish Parliament and the National People's Congress of China.

Rasmussen is in China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. He and Li held talks on Wednesday, witnessing the signing of cooperation documents on people-to-people exchanges, food and drug, quarantine and animal protection.

Prior to Beijing, Rasmussen visited a giant panda research base in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, on Tuesday. China will send two giant pandas to Denmark. Endi