Chairman’s Remarks

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Annual General Meeting
Dear members, I would like to thank all of you who participated in our Annual General Meeting on 27 April 2010, at Novo Nordisk’s headquarters in Bagsværd, and I would like to thank Novo Nordisk for hosting this event. Almost 100 of the network’s members participated in the meeting. This clearly illustrates the great interest from our members as well as the strength of our network. At the Extraordinary General Meeting on 2 June the new membership structure, including regulations of membership fees, was unanimously approved. I would like to thank our members for supporting this proposal.

60-year Anniversary of the Sino-Danish Diplomatic Relations
On 10 May, we organised a reception in cooperation with Denmark-Hong Kong Trade Association to mark the 60-year anniversary of the Danish-Chinese diplomatic relations. We consider the celebration of this event a very important signal to the Chinese authorities. We are certain that this event has contributed to further strengthening the close relations between our two countries. The presence of the Danish Minister for Economic and Business Affairs, Mr. Brian Mikkelsen, demonstrated that after the crisis in 2009, the Danish government is aware of the importance of re-establishing our good relationship with China. I am pleased that the Minister expressed a wish to reinforce the cooperation with the Chinese government. At Danish-Chinese Business Forum we will do our best to help promote this cooperation.

On the occasion of the 60-year anniversary, a high level Chinese delegation headed by the Chinese Minister of Commerce, Mr. Chen Deming, visited Denmark in May. The visit is of great importance to the Sino-Danish trade relations, and the Danish business community got the opportunity to greatly benefit from the workshops and match-making sessions organised in connection with the Chinese visit. I had the pleasure to join the Minister of Commerce and part of his delegation on a boat trip to the offshore windmill park Middelgrunden, where I had the opportunity to discuss various trade issues with the Minister. I have now written the Minister a letter in which I emphasise that we would like to see more Chinese investments in Denmark.

Major Activities Planned in 2010
This year, Danish-Chinese Business Forum will participate in Expo 2010 in Shanghai with the theme “Better City, Better Life.” This important event will be a great opportunity for our member companies to present themselves and their solutions targeted at the Chinese market. They will also have the opportunity to meet key Chinese decision makers and companies. Expo 2010 provides an excellent platform for displaying Danish design, Danish innovation, and the Danish health sector model, including pharma-, medico- and biotech companies. We are very happy that our protector, His Royal Highness the Prince Consort of Denmark, will support our member activities at Expo 2010 in the end of August. This makes it possible for us to invite high-level officials and key Chinese decision makers to be present at different events. In that way Expo 2010 will offer a good base for our member companies to further expand their business relations in China.
 
Another big event that Danish-Chinese Business Forum will take active part in is the World Climate Solutions 2010 in September in Copenhagen. In this connection we will organise delegation tours in Denmark for Chinese delegations within the building sector, the industrial sector, the transport sector and the energy sector. Apart from these four delegations, we are also expecting a high-level official Chinese delegation to participate in the event. For our cleantech members this is a very good opportunity to further develop their contacts with key Chinese decision makers.

I would like to conclude that our members’ involvement in and input to Danish-Chinese Business Forum’s activities plays a central role in the daily work of our organisation. Active participation without a doubt increases our members’ opportunities for success in China.

I wish you a pleasant summer.

Nils Foss
Chairman