The ongoing three-day visit to China by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen that started on Wednesday will certainly help improve bilateral relations and enable the two sides to properly handle the differences that exist between them.

Despite the difficulties facing bilateral ties, Rasmussen's visit to China is still considered a positive development. During the visit, Rasmussen will meet with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other senior Chinese officials, with a new green work program top of the two countries' cooperation agenda, focusing on climate, energy and the environment. "These are all areas where Denmark offers sustainable green solutions of high international standards, and where our cooperation can contribute to reducing global carbon dioxide emissions," Rasmussen said. The previous work program expired in 2020.

Although this is his first visit to China as foreign minister, Rasmussen previously visited the country as prime minister in 2017, which helped lift bilateral political and economic relations to an unprecedentedly high level. As the only Nordic country that has established a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, Denmark has a strong economic relationship with China, which is its largest trading partner in Asia. Bilateral trade has been growing steadily in recent years, and Danish companies have been actively investing in China, particularly in sectors such as food and agriculture, renewable energy and pharmaceuticals.

Yet bilateral relations have not been smooth sailing in recent years, mainly as a result of the spillover effects of the increasingly confrontational policy the United States has adopted against China. Given the role of the US as a key security provider and partner of the Nordic countries, Denmark has started to look at its ties with China through an ideologically tainted lens. The Danish government has effectively barred Chinese telecommunications equipment giant Huawei from the Danish digital infrastructure, citing national security concerns. It has also introduced a new investment screening mechanism to filter Chinese investment, and criticized China on issues related to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. All this has prevented bilateral cooperation from unleashing its full potential.

But Denmark understands the indispensable role that China now plays in international affairs and the importance of constructive engagement. At the start of his China trip, Rasmussen spoke of the Ukraine crisis, saying, "China should speak up". Actually, China already has, putting forward a road map for peace and called on countries to work together to avoid a prolonged conflict.

Denmark also recognizes the indispensable role that China is playing in the global efforts to address climate change and realize sustainable development. Denmark is known for its expertise in renewable energy, and it has shared its knowledge and experiences with China to facilitate the latter's green transition.

Hopefully, Rasmussen's visit will inject fresh momentum into the two countries' relations, helping them to not only strengthen their economic ties but also work together to consolidate international efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine and address the pressing challenge of climate change facing all humanity.