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How to navigate EU-China commercial relations, from a Danish vantage point, was this year's core topic, as Danish‑Chinese Business Forum held the Annual General Meeting 2026 – the most important member event of the year – kindly hosted by AVK Group at the AVK headquarters in Galten. and
Tom Behrens-Sørensen, Chairman of DCBF, and Niels Aage Kjær, Owner & Chairman of AVK Holding, provided the welcome speeches.
The AGM provided an opportunity to discuss a theme that is at the centre of Europe’s competitiveness and place in the world, namely: “EU–China Relations Going Forward: What Are Our Options?”
The meeting was framed around EU’s approach to China, and discussed how to best balance the relationship between rivalry, competition and collaboration, which is the EU’s official framing of its view on China.
We were honoured to welcome Jens Eskelund, President of the European Chamber of Commerce in China, who shared insights into the ‘The state of trade and business outlook’, followed by Svend Roed Nielsen, Senior Advisor at Tænketanken Europa, who shared his thoughts on the topic of an ‘EU strategy for relations with China’.
A candid panel discussion then brought together Jakob Stausholm, Fellow at the Blatnavik School of Government, University of Oxford (and former CEO of Rio Tinto), Dong Weizhi, Director of Purchase CoE and Bidding Center, European Regions at Envision - AESC, and Svend Roed Nielsen. The discussion explored what EU’s options are in working with China to expand commercial collaboration as well as which areas should be isolated or protected from competitive pressure from China. Overall, the panel agreed that there is scope for expanding commercial relations with China—especially considering the geopolitical situation—but also that Europe must step up and promote our own strengths and competitiveness.
At the formal AGM, Camilla Jain Holtse was reelected as member of the Board. Five new replacements were formally elected as members of the Board, being Dan Nissen, Blue Water Shipping A/S, Klara Christensen, Danfoss, Elisa Hjortkjær, FOSS A/S, Ole Hammer, The LEGO Group, and Christian Bayer Tygesen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
Thank you to our speakers, panellists and members for thoughtful contributions and engaged dialogue — and to AVK Group for their generous hospitality. The discussions at this year’s AGM underline why open, informed and nuanced debate remains essential for European business navigating EU–China relations.
