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In 1730, inspired by the successful voyages to China by British and Dutch merchant
ships, the Danish ocean liner Cron Printz Christian sailed off for China and came
back two years after loaded with silk, porcelain and tea. The goods were sold with
a huge profit. After the return of Cron Printz Christian, the interests from the
Danish government and Danish investors rapidly increased and the Sino-Danish economic
relations were now established.
In the following centuries, the commercial and economic objectives continued to
determine Denmark's policy towards China. Links between Denmark and China was in
the beginning established and maintained through Danish trading companies such as
the Danish East India Company and the Asiatic Company, which was founded in 1732.
The Danish government had initially no intentions on establishing any diplomatic
representations in China but preferred instead to rely purely on the economic relations.
Until 1911, Danish interests were consequently handled by Great Britain at first,
and later by Russia. This unique diplomatic position came to an end under the pressure
from the Danish Great Northern Telegraph Company (Store Nord), which preferred the
protection of a Danish legation. Therefore, Denmark decided in 1912 to send a consul
and a vice-consul to Shanghai, and nominated voluntary consuls in other Chinese
cities.
The Kingdom of Denmark recognized the People's Republic of China on 9th of January
1950, and the two countries established diplomatic relations on May 11th in the
same year. Denmark was the second Western country after Sweden to establish diplomatic
ties with China. One of the most important reasons for that was to protect the interests
of Danish companies conducting business in China. Denmark's recognition of PRC and
the fact that Denmark at that time did not have any consulate in Taiwan enhanced
the Sino-Danish relations. The relations between the two countries peaked in 1974,
when Danish Prime Minister Poul Hartling was received by Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping
in Beijing.
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