King Frederik X of Denmark introduced the Lynetteholm artificial peninsula project to General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and State President Tô Lâm during the visit to the site on October 21. — VNA/VNS Photo

COPENHAGEN — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and State President Tô Lâm, accompanied by King Frederik X of Denmark visited the Lynetteholm artificial peninsula project and a major new urban development in Copenhagen on Wednesday, as part of the top Vietnamese leader’s state visit to Denmark.

The visit also saw the participation by members of the Vietnamese high-level delegation, Danish officials, business representatives and leaders of Copenhagen.

Lynetteholm is one of Denmark’s largest urban development and climate adaptation projects. Located in Copenhagen’s harbour, facing the Øresund Strait, the project was approved by the Danish Parliament in 2021 and construction began in 2022.

Covering approximately 275 hectares, the artificial peninsula is scheduled for full completion by 2070. It has three main objectives: protecting Copenhagen from rising sea levels, storms and flooding; developing a modern, green urban district capable of accommodating nearly 50,000 residents and creating around 30,000 jobs; and expanding urban space through public transport, green infrastructure and coastal ecological areas.

The project reflects Denmark’s long-term approach to combining sustainable urban development with climate change adaptation, offering potential lessons for coastal cities in Việt Nam.

After touring the project and hearing about its development, General Secretary and President Tô Lâm thanked the King, the Danish Royal Family, the Danish Government, Copenhagen authorities and relevant agencies for their warm reception and the useful exchanges.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and State President Tô Lâm, King Frederik X of Denmark, and delegations from both Việt Nam and Denmark on the boat to the artificial island. — VNA/VNS Photo

He noted that Việt Nam has a long coastline, with many cities, economic zones and critical infrastructure located in coastal areas and low-lying deltas. Rapid urbanisation, coupled with the increasingly evident impacts of climate change, underscored the need to renew approaches to urban planning and infrastructure development, making them greener, more integrated and more resilient.

To create opportunities for expanding development space, particularly towards the sea, Việt Nam had reorganised its administrative units at all levels, leaving 21 of its 34 provinces and centrally governed cities with coastlines, he said.

This presented significant opportunities to harness the sea’s potential for socio-economic development at both local and national levels, including the development of coastal and offshore urban areas, economic zones, seaports, logistics infrastructure and other functional areas.

The top Vietnamese leader said the experience of Lynetteholm demonstrated how a climate adaptation project could simultaneously create new development space, enhance coastal landscapes, deliver ecological value and generate socio-economic benefits.

The approach offered valuable lessons for Việt Nam as it explores solutions for coastal urban development and seeks to protect major economic centres from climate-related risks, he said.

He called on relevant agencies to exchange views and study opportunities for cooperation with Denmark, drawing on its experience and translating the discussions into concrete cooperation programmes suited to Việt Nam’s circumstances.

Building on the positive foundations of Việt Nam–Denmark relations, particularly their shared commitment to green growth and sustainable development, General Secretary and President Tô Lâm expressed confidence that the two countries had considerable potential to expand cooperation in urban planning, infrastructure development and climate change adaptation. — VNS

King Frederik X of Denmark and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and State President Tô Lâm during the visit to the Lynetteholm artificial peninsula projecton October 21. — VNA/VNS Photo