Thank you, Ambassador.

Distinguished Guests, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is truly a great pleasure for The Crown Princess and I to be back in Vietnam. 11 years ago, we were here to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of our two countries diplomatic relations. Today, we formally open the official visit and trade promotion to Vietnam under the headline “Creating a greener future together”.

Our two countries share a close relationship – not only in terms of trade & investment – but also through our long standing diplomatic relations established on the 25^th of November in 1971.

The cultural ties are also close. On a personal note, your country holds a special place in the history of my family, as my late father – Prince Henrik of Denmark – spent several of his infant and adolescent years not long from where we are today.

Both Her Majesty The Queen, The Crown Princess and I have had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful country several times with many fond memories to be cherished. We have always been met with great kindness, warmth, and not least a fantastic cuisine.

It is impressive to witness how the relationship between Denmark and Vietnam has grown over time. On the business side, Denmark is now a major foreign investor in Vietnam – around 135 Danish companies physically present here.

But on a larger and more strategic scale, we are aligned when it comes to our shared ambitions for a greener future and the goal of becoming net-zero emission countries by 2050. An ambition that has become even more important as we find ourselves in a global energy crisis. Our point of departure might be different, but we share the same vision when it comes to mitigating the consequences of climate change.

Distinguished Vietnamese partners and guests, Denmark and Danish businesses are here to support you in your efforts towards a greener society. The esteemed Danish business delegation with us today is second to none. When it comes to experience and knowledge in the field of renewable energy and sustainability in business, you will find no better match. Together with you, our Vietnamese partners, I am confident we can find common solutions to both our countries’ benefit and prosperity.

Over the course of the next two days, The Crown Princess and I look forward to experiencing some of the many solutions needed to build a better future for us all. I hope to see partnerships between Danish and Vietnamese businesses further deepen and grow, not least on wind energy and energy efficiency.

With these words, I hope everyone will have a successful and prosperous next few day.

Thank you – Xin Cam On.

(Det talte ord gælder)