CRI听力:Danish Queen's Visit to Deepen Sino-Danish Ties

This will be the second time the Danish Queen has visited China, and the first visit in 35 years. In 1979, she became the first western monarch to visit the country. Usually, Danish monarchs never make a second official trip to a country they have visited except for those Scandinavian neighbors.

Zhang Bei, a research assistant with the China Institute of International Studies, explains the significance the Queen's break with convention.

"The Danish queen's visit is also in the bigger picture of the ever-closer China-Europe relationship. Denmark is a very special European country. It is an EU member with many famous labels like 'Nordic country' 'welfare state' and 'small but successful.' To make the best of the China-Denmark relationship will set a very good example as China seeks win-win cooperation with developed small and medium-sized European countries."

China and Denmark have witnessed fast development in economic cooperation since 2008, when the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership. China became Denmark's second-largest trading partner outside the European Union in the same year. Total bilateral trade volume was more than 107 billion Danish krone, or nearly 20 billion US dollars, in 2013.

Danish Ambassador Petersen says the state visit by the Queen will focus on how to support China in its pursuit of sustainable development. Researcher Zhang Bei says the two countries' economic and trade relations is highly complementary in nature.

"The visit is in a sense tailor-made to highlight and promote Denmark's advantages and strengthen China-Denmark business cooperation in these fields. These programs feature Denmark's head start in green technology areas, such as low-energy buildings, smart electricity grids, urban heating and cooling systems, and renewable energy generation. Also food, another strong Danish sector."

Zhang Bei adds the Royal visit also offers opportunities to shape new strategic partnerships, particularly in focal areas such as sustainable welfare, Energy & Environment, Health & Life Sciences, Food & Agro Industries, and Transport & Maritime Industries, where Denmark has strong capabilities which more importantly can serve the demand of the Chinese economy and society.

Four ministers,five vice-ministers and representatives from more than 110 Danish companies will accompany the Queen during the tour. In addition to Beijing, Queen Margrethe II will also visit Nanjing, Suzhou, Jiaxing and Shanghai in east China.

For CRI, this is Yu Yang.