Lars Lund Rasmussen, Consul-General of Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing The Belt and Road Initiative Brings Our Different Cultures Together

□ Article / Journalist Xiong Yi Tr. by Gao Li

Lars Lund Rasmussen, Consul-General of Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing The Belt and Road Initiative Brings Our Different Cultures Together

□ Article / Journalist Xiong Yi Tr. by Gao Li

Lars Lund Rasmussen is the fourth Consul-General of Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing. On the eve of the National Day and October 1, the Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing successfully held two cultural and artistic promotion activities under the leadership of Lars Lund Rasmussen when he has been in of fi ce for four months, which brings three specialties (fairy tales, cookies and design) of Denmark to Chongqing in an original and unique way. Further,exchange sharing and intimate interaction with the citizens of the mountain city are also conducted.

More and More Danish Enterprises Can Grasp“Chongqing Opportunity”

On May 5, Chinese President Xi Jinping met Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmusse in the Great Hall of the People and noted that developing a healthy,stable and sustainable China-Denmark comprehensive strategic partnership is not only in the interest of both countries but also advances cooperation between China and Europe and facilitate the comprehensive development of China-Northern Europe relations.2016 marks the year of rapid progress of China-Denmark comprehensive strategic partnership,with both countries projecting an overall plan of the cooperation in various fields and making joint efforts to promote a rapid and sound development of China-Denmark relation under new circumstances. We should strengthen the Top-level Design Planning and build 2017 to be “a year of reap” for China-Denmark comprehensive strategic partnership.

After just several months’ work and exchanges,Lars Lund Rasmussen exclaimed: “I have deeply sensed that Chongqing is a city fulling of opportunities and vitality as well as a city with unique charm which other Chinese cities don’t share.” The Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing, since its establishment in 2005, has helped many Danish enterprises throw investments and start doing business successfully. Lars Lund Rasmussen said: “I will make solid progress in various economic and trade cultural exchanges on the basis of existing friendly cooperation.Future work will focus on seeking cooperation with Chongqing in sectors like agriculture, pension, tourism promotion, cultural education and art design.”

Lars Lund Rasmussen said: “Chongqing is making great efforts to the construction of infrastructure and new urbanization, while the Belt and Road Initiative brings opportunity to Chongqing.” Chongqing government has provided lots of favorable conditions for foreign investment, attracting an increasing number of foreign investors to come to Chongqing. He also added: “We have been committed to support and help Danish enterprises to develop business in Chongqing and southwest China so as to promote trade contacts between Denmark and Chongqing. Bene fi ting from the Belt and Road Initiative, more and more Danish enterprises are expected to grasp this ‘Chongqing Opportunity’ ”.

It is his great pleasure to witness the open of China Railway Express (Chongqing) which allows a more convenient and faster way for Danish products transporting to Chongqing. China Railway Express from Chongqing and Chongqing Pilot Free Trade Zone serve as a sound platform for China-Europe relations as well as Chongqing-Denmark relations. Lars Lund Rasmussen told: “The first cargo of Royal Farm, an enterprise in Denmark, has been transported to Chongqing from German by this railway.” He held that China Railway Express (Chongqing) brings opportunities for Danish enterprises to enter the Chongqing market.

Intimate Interaction with Three Specialties of Denmark—Fairy Tales, Cookies and Design

On September 22, Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing held a sharing session on design with “an insight on democratic design” as its theme. Lars Lund Rasmussen addressed: “Though covering a relative small area, Denmark is well known as its fairy tales and butter cookies. Besides, the another thing that is worth sharing is the unique and everlasting Denmark Design.”

The middle of the 20th century witnesses the golden age of Denmark Design with masters like Finn Juhl and Poul Henningsen setting a standard for Denmark Design, making a significant contribution. The core of Denmark Design lies in its functionality,conciseness and exquisite crafts.

During the golden age of Denmark Design, designers laid emphasis on the “Less is More” principle from which the new generation of designers nowadays also benefit a lot. But compared with that period, Denmark Design now is featured with more elegance and less vigour, presenting a comfortable and warm design effect. Lars Lund Rasmussen said: “This sharing session is expected to be an inspiration for us so as to break traditional restraint and brave new shapes. I am very glad to have such intimate cultural exchange so as to share different cultures and learn from each other.”

Denmark is praised as the happiest nation in the world in 2006.There is no standard for Danish-style happiness, but surely their happiness perception derives from life, family and creativity.While Denmark Design is just a re fl ection and expression of such happiness. “Danish designers have always been seeking a balance between application and beauty.” Li Mengsu, a senior media person and researcher on design culture, shared her understanding of Denmark Design with designers from this mountain city, with her new-published book Design for Life: Nine Courses for Denmark Design.

Design is a culture without borders. In this sharing session,professionals in design industry of Chongqing raise a positive spark with the guests. Du Chunlan, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, said: “It is natural for architects to engage in furniture design as architecture is a general environment, human beings are within architecture and space is a sub-environment of architecture. If space is compared as a face,furniture is exactly the fi ve sense organs of the space.”

There are lots of architectural designers skilled in furniture and product design in Denmark. In the sharing session, designers from Chongqing Indoor Design Enterprise Association (CIDEA)offered advice and suggestions on the exchange and promotion of Denmark Design in Chongqing. As the urban development of Chongqing is stepping to the internationalization, people’s lifestyle, aesthetic appreciation and concept of life are changing quietly.” “Denmark Design is entering the Chongqing market gradually, Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing has been committed to promote the culture of Denmark Design and push forward the entering of Danish brands into the western markets of China.” Lars Lund Rasmussen said. Besides, he expressed his expectation that more and more Chongqing citizens can come to appreciate and taste Denmark, thus the wind of Denmark can blow through and stay in Chongqing.

This year marks the China-Denmark Tourism Year. From October 1 to 22, 2017 Magic Journey to Andersen Fairy Land and Photo Exhibition “Our Future, Our Arctic” will be held by Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing in Aegean.

This photo exhibition is made by Denmark Natural Museum specially for Foreign Minister of Denmark, receiving strong support from the Greenlandic government and the Faroe Islands government. These 32 exhibition works depict the fascinating Arctic world from different perspectives, uncovering the veil of Arctic and presenting audience a secret Kingdom but fulling with energy, a quiet Kingdom but accompanied with wildness.

On the morning of October 1, the 22-day Magic Journey to Andersen Fairy Land has been formally staged in Aegean. On the opening day, children from Adele Ballet School offered fantastic and mysterious Thumbelina for guests. Besides, organic rolled oats from Darby mill, craft beer from Grabar and Sherry from Nyholm Chatea are offered. By integrating nature, quality and delicacy together in a real sense, these delicious food represent the typical Danish food.Lars Lund Rasmussen believes that activities like 2017 Magic Journey to Andersen Fairy Land and Photo Exhibition “Our Future,Our Arctic” will promote the cultural exchanges between China and Denmark and deepen the mutual understanding of their people.The tree of friendship between the two countries not only grows in this snow world of fairy tales but in the reality as well as the heart of nationals of both countries.

(Images are authorized by the Royal Danish Consulate General in Chongqing. All rights reserved by the original author and are not reproduced without permission)