During the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, Minister Jensen discussed various bilateral and global issues of mutual interest. Minister Jensen appreciated the long and outstanding relationship between Denmark and Vietnam, which, after more than 20 years of successful development cooperation, transformed into a comprehensive partnership in 2013.
Photos: Huong Giang
Minister Jensen also co-chaired the 5th Joint Governmental Committee meeting with Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung to discuss measures in enhancing bilateral trade and investment. Danish business representatives, including Lego and Maersk, also participated in the meeting.
He also had a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to promote the bilateral relationship and the comprehensive partnership. In the meeting, Minister Jensen expressed his appreciation of the Vietnamese Government for their support to facilitate Danish companies’ setting up business and production in Vietnam.
Minister Jensen later paid a visit to Ngoc Lam primary school in Long Bien district, where schoolchildren and teachers use the new national system for art education in primary school based upon Danish child-centered pedagogical methods. He saw results of Denmark’s engagement in developing Vietnamese children books through cooperation between Danish writers and illustrators, Kim Dong Publishing House and Vietnamese writers and illustrators.
On his second day in Vietnam, Minister Jensen visited Mascot factory in Hai Duong province (a subsidiary of Mascot International A/S, Denmark’s biggest manufacturer of high quality work wear and safety gear) before leaving for Ho Chi Minh city.
The company has three production units in Hai Duong province and one unit in Laos, with 1,800 staff in Vietnam and Laos. Mascot is known for a clear CSR profile and has been awarded with Prince Henrik and Danish Export Association's award for contribution to the development of commercial cooperation between Denmark and Vietnam.
In Ho Chi Minh city, Mr Jensen visited ScanCom, a Danish outdoor furniture manufacturer. ScanCom’s wood production in Vietnam was launched in 2003 with the initial support from the Danida Private Sector Development Program. ScanCom has a high CSR profile and has received the Forest Stewardship Council (FCS) certification as the first company in Vietnam.
Minister Jensen also met Le Thanh Liem, Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh city People’s Committee, expressing hope that Danish companies could support sustainable development of the city, and thereby continuing the strong cooperation between Vietnam and Denmark.
Finally, he made a stop at the Danish Osterberg ice-cream shop.
“I am very pleased with my visit in Vietnam. It makes me even more confident that the relationship we have built the past 45 years of diplomatic relations and the goals we have for sustainable environment and commercial growth will continue to show results in the years to come. Also, the three Danish companies I’ve visited are good examples of how successful business can go hand in hand with corporate social responsibility and production of quality products. It makes me proud to see the high standards Danish companies’ requests of themselves,” Minister Jensen concluded, before leaving Ho Chi Minh city.
The Vietnam-Denmark relations on the green agenda became stronger in 2015 when Vietnam as the first ASEAN country became a core member of the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF), a Danish-Korean led forum to promote public-private partnerships towards green growth./.