Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik of Denmark will pay an official visit to Vietnam from Nov. 1-9, aiming to increase the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation towards a partnership for development.

The Queen and her husband will also be accompanied by Crown Prince Frederic and his wife, the Culture Minister, some governmental officials and 60 leading businesses of Denmark .

Denmark is one of the first European countries that established diplomatic ties with Vietnam in Nov. 25, 1971. The country had a strong support to Vietnam ’s struggle for independence and reunification in the past, and nowadays is actively backing the Southeast Asian country in its renewal and international economic integration process.

Vietnam and Denmark maintain a regular exchange of high-level delegations, and the recent event was Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s official visit to Denmark on Sept. 16-17 this year.

The two countries sees their two-way trade steadily increasing at an annual rate of 10-15 percent to reach 318 million USD in 2008.

Denmark has poured 400 million USD in investment in Vietnam , standing the 22nd among countries and territories having invested in the country.

The economic, trade and investment relations between the two countries though steadily develop but still have not matched with the two sides’ potentials and desire.

During PM Dung’s recent visit, the two countries agreed to prioritise economic ties, targeting 1 billion USD in the two-way trade turnover and 1 billion USD in Denmark ’s investment capital in Vietnam over the next few years.

Denmark now is one of big donors of Vietnam with a total non-refundable aid so far reaching 1 billion USD. In 2008, Denmark decide to grant 40 million USD to Vietnam to cope with climate changes only.

Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Peter Lysholt Hansen said the visit by the Queen also aims to uphold the common responsibilities in dealing with challenges from the climate change and environmental issues as Denmark will host an United Nations conference on climate change in December and Vietnam is one of the countries that are the most affected by climate change.

During the visit, besides meetings between the Danish Royal Family with Vietnamese leaders, a series of cultural activities with the participation of the two countries’ artists will also take place.

Sixty Danish businesses will attend business forums in Hanoi on Nov. 3 and in Ho Chi Minh City on Nov. 6. Hundreds of Vietnamese businesses are expected to join the events./.