Vietnam and Denmark have issued a joint statement to establish a green strategic partnership to promote the sustainable development of each country and contribute to making the world a greener and cleaner place.

The joint document was released on Wednesday after virtual talks at the Government Office in Hanoi between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen.

The two sides agreed that the green strategic partnership will help further consolidate and deepen the Vietnam-Denmark comprehensive partnership in a new period, in which green, clean, and sustainable development has emerged as a common trend in the world.

Under the framework of this partnership, the two countries will promote green transition and raise global climate ambitions through cooperation in various areas including green dialogue; climate, environment, and energy; trade and business; maritime affairs; and the development of sustainable, livable cities.

Both nations will also boost cooperation in food, agriculture and aquaculture, healthcare and life sciences; national statistics in support of the implementation of sustainable development goals and green transition; promotion of green transition goals in all fields; and multilateral cooperation.

The new partnership will make the two countries' cooperation become a model in North-South cooperation between developed and developing countries in implementing commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including Vietnam’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

PM Frederiksen affirmed that the green strategic partnership will pave the way for green cooperation that brings prosperity to both nations and contribute to the global common sustainable development goals.

The two PMs agreed to soon formulate a plan to implement the joint statement, strengthen cooperation in building relevant institutions and policies, share experience as well as facilitate investment cooperation between businesses of the two countries in green fields.

Commenting that Vietnam has the potential for sustainable development, PM Frederiksen said Denmark wishes to upgrade relations with the Southeast Asian country, adding that he has been encouraging Danish businesses to boost their business and investment in Vietnam. 

PM Chinh proposed that Denmark promote investment in Vietnam in areas where the country has strengths and in accordance with Vietnam’s sustainable development priorities, such as renewable energy, processing industries, marine economy, and green growth.

He also asked Denmark to encourage the European Commission to soon remove the illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing ‘yellow card’ for Vietnam's seafood exports to Europe.

Frederiksen affirmed that Denmark will continue to cooperate with Vietnam in green transformation and accepted PM Chinh's suggestions that Denmark will provide Vietnam with relevant capital support, technology transfer, human resource training, and institutional building.

Discussing regional and international issues, the two leaders emphasized the need to maintain peace, stability and development, and resolve disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law. 

Both sides emphasized their support for freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Vietnam Sea on the basis of international law, including 1982 UNCLOS.

PM Chinh invited his Danish counterpart to visit Vietnam soon and the latter accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Vietnam and Denmark established diplomatic relations in 1971 and entered a comprehensive partnership in 2013.

The Northern European country is currently an important trading partner of Vietnam in the European Union, with two-way trade soaring to nearly US$900 million in 2022, almost twice the $480 million from ten years earlier, according to official figures.

With toy manufacturer LEGO Group’s sixth global factory under construction in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam at a cost of over $1 billion, Denmark is ranked 22th among the 141 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

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