Danish minister heads to China, days after Taiwan ex-leader's contested Denmark trip
Rasmussen is due to meet China's foreign minister Wang Yi and trade minister Wang Wentao on a three-day visit marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, a Danish foreign ministry statement said on Thursday.
The visit comes after Tsai Ing-wen this week met Danish lawmakers and gave a speech at a democracy summit in Copenhagen that accused China of intensifying cyber attacks and military exercises against Taiwan. She also criticized what she referred to as China's "expansionist ambitions."
She was attending the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, organised by former NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen's Alliance of Democracies, seen by senior Taiwan leaders as an important venue to get Taiwan's message out to the world.
The Chinese embassy in Copenhagen criticised Denmark for hosting Tsai and said it disregarded "international consensus on the one-China principle".
"The Taiwan question is purely China's internal affairs that allow no interference by any foreign government, organization or individual," it said in an emailed comment.
Tsai, who is also visiting Britain this week, has become a symbol of Taiwan's defiance against China's military threats. Denmark, like most countries, has no official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but maintains informal relations with the democratically-governed island.
"Our one-China policy remains firm, while it is clear that we do not see everything the same way, and on some points China poses a challenge," said Rasmussen, who has promoted a pragmatic approach to China as foreign minister and earlier as prime minister.
Diplomatic relations with China reached a low point after a visit by Dalai Lama to Copenhagen in 2009. Ties improved when Denmark later accepted a Chinese offer to send two pandas to Denmark as part of China's so-called "panda diplomacy."
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Opportunities exist to expand collaboration in high-tech fields like space programs or artificial intelligence, building on existing civilian initiatives. GT: China is the rotating chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for 2024–2025 and will host the SCO Summit in Tianjin this autumn. At the 'SCO Plus' Astana Summit in July 2024, President Xi said 'We should jointly advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, practice true multilateralism, and make global governance more just and equitable. The SCO should make its important contribution to eliminating the deficits in peace, development, security and governance.' How do you evaluate the SCO's specific contributions to promoting global security and fairness? What are your expectations and key priorities for the 2025 Tianjin Summit in advancing these goals? Santoro: The establishment of the SCO marked a turning point in international security, showcasing China's commitment to addressing global challenges like terrorism through new institutions. The SCO serves as a vital platform for tackling issues in Central Asia and Afghanistan and could play a significant role in mediating India-Pakistan tensions over Kashmir. The SCO operates with a flexible, inclusive framework focused on global security challenges rather than targeting specific nations. With its expanding membership, the SCO could evolve into a platform akin to BRICS, attracting developing nations and emerging markets seeking a multipolar world order. The 2025 Tianjin Summit will convene amid complex global security challenges, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, tensions involving Israel, Iran, and Gaza, and renewed India-Pakistan friction. These issues lack simple solutions, but I hope the SCO summit will propose innovative approaches to address them. View original content: SOURCE Global Times
