Interview: Working with China "very important for Europe's future," says Danish entrepreneur

Simon Lichtenberg, national board member of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, speaks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao)

"You can say China is a mature leader in the world today, in my opinion, in terms of leading collaboration, peace, trade and friendship," said Simon Lichtenberg, national board member of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China.

BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Working with China is "very important for Europe's future," Simon Lichtenberg, national board member of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, said on Wednesday after receiving a reply letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"I think the future of the world is closely linked to everybody working together. And China is the second-biggest economy and a very, very important and influential country globally, especially for the Global South," he said in an interview with Xinhua.

As 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Denmark and China, Lichtenberg wrote two letters to Xi in April -- one on behalf of the chamber and another for himself.

In his personal letter, Lichtenberg recounted his life in China since 1987 and his decades-long entrepreneurship as a foreign private businessman. "What I've been doing, and what the chamber is doing, is serving as a bridge between China and the rest of the world," he said.

"Denmark has always been a very dear friend and old friend of China," he added. "It was a good idea to write a letter to the president to express gratitude for collaboration and friendship."

In his reply to both of Lichtenberg's letters, Xi wrote, "Believing in China is believing in a better tomorrow, and investing in China is investing in the future."

"That's quite amazing," Lichtenberg said, recalling his surprise on receiving Xi's reply.

In his letter, Xi expressed appreciation for the Danish entrepreneur's deep affection for China and confidence in China's future development.

"I think the voice and the sentiment of foreign companies and individuals in China are very welcome by the central government and by President Xi."

"A lot of people in Europe do not understand enough about China," he said. So it is important for European leaders and citizens to "come to China, visit China" and witness firsthand "the openness of the Chinese government" to foster better collaboration.

The Chinese system has evolved over thousands of years and reflects "a fundamentally different society and culture than in Europe," he said. "The Chinese government has a very high level of trust from its people. That shows the Chinese people believe in the way that the Chinese government is working."

Lichtenberg emphasized China's key role in easing tensions and promoting cooperation amid growing geopolitical and economic strains worldwide.

"You can say China is a mature leader in the world today, in my opinion, in terms of leading collaboration, peace, trade and friendship."

"So our job is to explain China to people who don't know a lot about China. That's a big responsibility and is also what the letter says," he said.  ■