Denmark's LEGO Group is building a new factory worth US$1 billion over an area of 44ha in Việt Nam-Singapore Industrial Park in Việt Nam's Bình Dương Province. The facility is planned to be the company’s first carbon neutral factory and will include investments in solar energy generation. — Photo from LEGO

Ambassador of Việt Nam to Denmark Lương Thanh Nghị talks to the Vietnam News Agency about the significance of the new Việt Nam-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership between the two countries recently announced by Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen, and their potential for cooperation in the future.

What is the meaning of this upgrade of relations between Việt Nam and Denmark?

On November 1, coinciding with the 52nd anniversary of diplomatic relations and 10 years of comprehensive partnership between our two countries, the Prime Ministers of Việt Nam and Denmark issued a joint statement establishing the Việt Nam-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership with ten areas of comprehensive cooperation. This partnership is not only important for Việt Nam's sustainable development but also demonstrates the commitment and determination of both countries to jointly address one of the most significant global challenges today, climate change and environmental degradation.

I believe that upgrading the relationship to a Green Strategic Partnership opens a new chapter in the Việt Nam-Denmark cooperation. It holds specific importance in the following ways:

First, the Green Strategic Partnership marks a substantive development in our traditional friendship and cooperation, both in terms of breadth and depth, comprehensive and strategic in nature as cooperation areas within this new framework not only inherit the effective ongoing collaboration between the two countries but also focus on future development issues, specifically green growth and sustainable development. These are long-term and high-priority aspects of Việt Nam's socio-economic development strategy by 2030 and vision to 2045.

Second, establishing the Việt Nam-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership shows Denmark's recognition of Việt Nam's increasingly elevated role in global-level cooperation related to green transformation and sustainable development. Việt Nam is now one of the five countries with which Denmark has established a Green Strategic Partnership, alongside India, South Korea, South Africa, and Australia.

Additionally, the fact that a world-leading country in green transition like Denmark has a Green Strategic Partnership with Việt Nam will also help to heighten Việt Nam's stature and international perceptions, as well as serve as a testament to Việt Nam's strong commitments to the implementation of United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

During the process of developing the new framework for the partnership, Denmark highly appreciates Việt Nam's aspirations and determination in green transformation, such as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, which PM Chính announced at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

Việt Nam's commitment and determination to green transition and sustainable development is one of the key factors that brought LEGO to the quick decision to build the world's first carbon-neutral factory worth US$1 billion in the southern province of Bình Dương.

Third, Denmark is one of the world leaders in green transformation. They have the technology, management experience, institutional frameworks, policies, capital and resources to promote international cooperation on green transformation and sustainable development.

Denmark is also one of the earliest countries to start carrying out an energy transition, right after the energy crisis in 1973, so they have plenty of experience.

These are all factors that Việt Nam can leverage to achieve its own green transformation goals and contribute to the country's sustainable development.

Fourth, I believe that the establishment of a new framework for cooperation related to green transformation and sustainable development between our two countries will have a positive ripple effect. It not only offers new opportunities for Danish businesses to continue green investment projects in Việt Nam, but also serves as a new model for cooperation, encouraging other foreign businesses to invest, expand, and operate in Việt Nam, in line with the country's shift from quantity to quality in foreign investment, prioritising high-quality projects, which was emphasised at the 13th National Party Congress.

How do you assess the potential for cooperation between the two countries after the establishment of the Green Strategic Partnership?

Looking back in history, Denmark was one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with Việt Nam, back in 1971. In 2011, our two countries established a comprehensive partnership in several select areas of cooperation, including climate change, energy, the environment, and green growth. In 2013, the partnership was upgraded to a full-fledged Comprehensive Partnership, and in 2023, it is now officially a Green Strategic Partnership.

It's evident that the Việt Nam-Denmark relationship has been strengthening and expanding over the years. We have achieved many positive outcomes in various fields, such as political and diplomatic relations, economics, trade, investment, and strategic cooperation in specific sectors like energy, the environment, agriculture, healthcare, statistics, etc.

Under the new framework, I believe the prospects for cooperation between our two countries are highly positive, and there is great potential for further development. Many opportunities are available for deeper and more effective cooperation in the existing areas of collaboration, as well as the expansion into new areas such as digital transformation, renewable energy development, high-tech agriculture, green healthcare, circular economy, etc. - all of which hold strategic significance for Việt Nam's future development.

As I mentioned earlier, the content of cooperation within the framework of the Green Strategic Partnership covers specific areas where Denmark has expertise and where Việt Nam has needs. If both countries can effectively utilise this new framework, it will bring tangible benefits to Việt Nam, helping the country moving away from its current fossil fuel-dependent economy to a new phase of development as a green, circular, and sustainable economy. This aligns with the global trend in development.

Even before the establishment of the Green Strategic Partnership, during a visit by Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik in November 2022, several Vietnamese localities and businesses signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in offshore wind energy and joined the supply chain for renewable energy development (such as cooperation between Denmark's Orsted, CIP with Việt Nam's PetroVietnam Technical on manufacturing and supplying of foundations for offshore wind farms), human resources, and research and development.

I believe that the establishment of a new high-level framework will open up many opportunities for efficient cooperation between ministries, localities, and businesses of both countries.

What should the two countries do to leverage the values that the Green Strategic Partnership offers for the benefit of each country?

After the Prime Ministers of both countries issued the joint statement to establish the Việt Nam-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership, the new framework for the relationship was established. I believe that, with close guidance from the leadership of both countries, both sides will soon develop specific action plans to effectively implement the areas of cooperation within the partnership.

Việt Nam can learn a lot from 50 years of Denmark's experience in institutional changes to adapt to its specific circumstances, build policies, and establish legal frameworks to promote cooperation in green transformation, digital transformation, and renewable energy development.

Policies and strategies need to strongly reflect the guiding role of the Government, the active roles of ministries, sectors, and localities, and the proactive and adaptive roles of businesses.

Việt Nam needs to prioritise promoting cooperation in a number of groundbreaking, focused and key areas, avoiding spreading them out. The focus should be on a number of specific areas such as renewable energy, especially offshore wind power because this is a field that Việt Nam has both demand and strong potential given the geographical and climate conditions, while Denmark is a country with a very high determination in carrying out green transition, and has amazing levels of science, technology, capital and experience in management and promulgation of policies in this field.

At the same time, Denmark also attaches special importance and appreciation to Việt Nam's sustainable development prospects.

Although it is a small country with only about six million people, Denmark is a country with the highest level of development in the world, even leading in some fields, such as offshore wind power development, energy conversion technology, transmission technology, renewable energy storage, quantum technology, etc.

These are all fields in which even many countries with leading scientific and technological levels in the world also need to cooperate and develop with Denmark. Therefore, if Việt Nam can take advantage of the growing momentum of the two countries' relationship to promote cooperation in the above fields, it will contribute practically to the sustainable development of the country. — VNS

Also on the Green Strategic Partnership, Danish Ambassador to Việt Nam Nicolai Prytz said since 2015, Việt Nam and Denmark have shifted away from a donor-recipient relationship toward a partnership on an equal footing, with extensive cooperation across all sectors, including political dialogue, green growth, energy, agriculture, food, health care, and culture, with a primary focus on capacity-building in these areas.He said the two countries previously had strategic cooperation in various fields related to green growth. Therefore, when they moved toward this new relationship, it meant that they were seeking a precise term for the collaboration that had been taking place between them.He stressed that over the past years, the Vietnamese Government has made strong commitments to green transformation because Việt Nam is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, heavily reliant on fossil fuels, and with a growing energy-intensive industry.He believed the green partnership will focus on steering efforts toward greater adoption of green technology and sustainable practices, and will provide a robust framework for Denmark to assist Việt Nam in developing an economy with climate resilience and low carbon emissions and promoting a circular economy.Việt Nam and Denmark will promptly discuss and develop a GSP action plan with ambitious objectives and specific actions. It will increase the exchange of knowledge and best practices, strengthen capacity building, and facilitate technology transfer in various strategic cooperation programmes in fields such as energy, agriculture, health care, education, statistics, and more. This plan will also include new initiatives in areas of mutual interest, such as sustainable development, climate, and maritime solutions, he said. — VNS