Summary

Fyn Region is located at the heart of the Kingdom of Denmark. Its capital city, Odense, is the third largest city and also the hometown of Andersen-the Master of Fairy Tale. The friendly exchange between Guangdong and Fyn , which began in 2002, mainly concentrates on sectors such as education, environmental protection, high-tech, medication and culture. Exchange of high-level officials between the two sides has also been frequent. Mr. Xu Deli and Mr. You Ningfeng, Deputy Governor of Guangdong Province, paid official visit to Fyn Region in September 2003 and June 2004 respectively. Mr. Jan Boye, Governor of Fyn Region paid a return visit to Guangdong on June 2004, symbolizing the formal establishment of sister province relationship between Guangdong and Fyn.

Brief Introduction of Fyn Region

Fyn Region is situated at the geographical center of the Kingdom of Denmark. Therefore it's nicknamed "the Green Heart of Denmark". The Region consists of Fyn Island, the second largest island in Denmark and over 90 islands and islets, which constitutes its comfortable natural environment and beautiful scenery. 32 cities are administered under the direction of Fyn Region. The population of Fyn stands at approximately 500,000, 40% of which inhabit in the capital city Odense, which is the hometown of Andersen, the prestigious Master of Fairy Tale.
The per capita GDP of Fyn Region stands at 28,500 USD and the total GDP of the Region at about 13,500,000 USD (the average GDP of the 14 regions combined in Denmark is 11,000,000 USD). The economy of Fyn Region is mainly supported by three pillar industries: 1. Food Industry. With the blooming industry of gardening and numerous farmland, the production value of gardening accounts for 50% of the nation's total; 2. Traffic and Transportation Industry with Lindoe Shipyard as the leading company, whose scale is 4 to 5 times larger than that of other regions; 3. Steel Industry. Fyn Island is the original location of Maersk Shipping, the renowned transnational corporation. Maersk's Lindoe Shipyard is located in Odense.
The government of Fyn Region has made great efforts in the research and development of life sciences, robot technology and environmental protection, which has gained significant progress. These industrial sectors are greatly supported by the government and will become vital sectors in the future sustainable development in Fyn Region.

Memorabilia of the exchanges between Guangdong Province and Fyn Region

2002

September 2002,The Faculty of Life Sciences of Zhongshan University and the Faculty of Science and Engineering of the University of Southern Denmark signed an agreement regarding exchange teachers and students. The former will send teachers and students to cooperate with the latter in research into Traditional Chinese Medication. The University of Southern Denmark will cover the research and training expense.

2003

March 16-18, a 6-member delegation headed by Mr. Schmidt, Minister of Environment of Denmark, accompanied by Mr. Zhang Shigang, Deputy Director General of the State Environmental Protection Administration, and visited Guangdong. The environmental protection-related departments of Fyn Region also came with the delegation. During the visit, Mr. Xu Deli, Deputy Governor of Guangdong Province met with the delegation and hosted a banquet. He also attended the inauguration ceremony of Sino-Denmark Environmental Protection Seminar and Economy & Trade Fair together with the delegation.

In June, Mr. Jensen, Consul General of the Danish Consulate General paid a visit to Zhongshan University and brought forward the intention of the University of Southern Denmark to establish cooperation relation with the Faculty of Life Sciences in terms of research into the modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In July, Fyn Region Government delivered the Memorandum of Friendly Exchange signed by its Governor to GDFAO to show their intention to officially establish sister province relation with Guangdong at the earliest convenience. The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the nation's administrative body in charge of related issues, rendered its consent on the establishment of friendly exchange relation between Guangdong Province and Fyn Region.

In August, the Robot Design & Research Institute of South China University of Technology began to contact Maersk Production Technology Research Institute of the University of Southern Denmark to discuss the feasibility of joint research and development on entertainment and education-purposed robots applicable for elementary and high schools in Guangdong.

On September 11, a Guangdong Provincial Government Delegation headed by Mr. Xu Deli visited Fyn Region. Both parties signed the "Memorandum of Friendly Exchange between Guangdong Province and Fyn Region", establishing a solid foundation of friendship between the two sides. During the visit, the Department of Land Resources of Guangdong Province held exchange talk with its Danish counterparts.

In October, Professor Stephen Fey and Professor Peter Larsen from the Proteomics Research Center (PRC) of the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) came to Guangdong and paid a visit to the Faculty of Life Sciences of Zhongshan University and Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd (GPHL) respectively. GPHL and PRC of SDU signed a collaboration agreement regarding the joint research program of the anti-virus mechanism of "Ke Gan Li Yan Oral Solution" (Natural Herbal Preparation against Flu Virus) via protein molecular analyse technology provided by PRC.

In November, GPHL and PRC of SDU jointly attended the public bidding on Guangdong's Key Sci-Tech Projects with the program named "Redevelopment of GPHL's Prestigious Traditional Chinese Patent Medicine- Breakthrough and Industrialization of the Key Technology of Chinese Traditional Medicine". At present, the program has won the bidding and been listed as one of vital projects to be tackled among Guangdong's key techology sectors.

At the end of 2003, The Delegation of Green City of Denmark made two successive visits to Guangdong to participate the Guangzhou International Environmental Protection Exhibition and hold talks on sewage disposal project. The Delegation also paid a study visit of the environmental protection projects in Guangzhou, Foshan and Qingyuan. Both parties signed letter of intent on environmental protection cooperation by way of text exchange.

2004

In March, Charlotte Rulffs Klausen, Development Division official from the Development Department of Fyn Region Government visited Guangdong as preparation for the visit government, economic & trade delegation headed by the Governor of Fyn Region in June and the signing of friendship agreement.

In June, Xu Pinghua, Deputy Secretary and Secretary of the Organization Department of Foshan Municipal Committee of CPC visited Denmark on invitation of Mr. Rune Stig Mortensen, Director General of the Development Department of Fyn Region Government. The delegation did not visit Fyn Region due to schedule arrangement.

June 20-24, an Economic & Trade Delegation of over 40 members headed by Mr. Jan Boye, Governor of Fyn Region visited Guangdong and met with Mr. Huang Huahua, Governor of Guangdong Province. Both parties signed the "Agreement on the Establishment of Sister-Province between Guangdong and Fyn". On the occasion, Mr. Jan Boye invited Governor Huang Huahua to visit Denmark in August 2005 to partcipate in the memorial activities for the 200th Birthday Anniversary of Andersen. Deputy Governor Xu Deli met with the delegation, hosted a banquet and conference on economic & trade. The delegation also visited Huizhou ( Mr. Huang Yebin, Mayor of Huizhou met with the delegation and hosted a banquet) and Shenzhen. During its stay in Guangzhou, the delegation visited the International Conference and Exhibition Center, No.2 MTR Line, Er Sha Island Branch of Guangdong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other facilities such as Xing Hai Music Hall. The delegation was also arranged to participate in the Pearl River Night Cruise. Both sides held talks in terms of economic & trade, medication, environmental protection, scientific research and the feasibility of further substantial cooperation.

June 22-24, a delegation headed by Mr. You Ningfeng, Deputy Governor of Guangdong Province visited Fyn Region and made research tour to the local equipment manufacture industry and SMEs.

In September, an environmental protection delegation headed by Li Qing, Director General of the Environmental Protection Bureau of Guangdong Province visited Fyn Region and made research tour of the local circular economy and ecology development. Vice Governor of Fyn Region met with the delegation and hosted a banquet. Director General of Fyn's Environmental Protection Department participated in all of the activities.

Editor: Wing