Strategic Sector Cooperation

A global sustainable transition of the agricultural sector cannot succeed without China. China is the world’s largest agricultural producer, and ranks as the world largest pig producer by far, as well as the world largest cereal producer. Similar the dairy sector is among the world largest. This also means, that the greenhouse gas emission coming from the agricultural sector in China is the world largest, compared to other countries agricultural sectors emissions. Additionally, China also faces other environmental challenges that comes with a large livestock production.

At the same time, the public demand for a safe food production, where consumers can trust the food, and whether it’s safe and healthy to eat, is evident. Combined with the fact that China has 9 % of global arable land, 6 % of global freshwater, but must feed 18 % of the global population, the Chinese authorities is focusing on developing a resource efficient, productive and safe food production.

Therefore, the Strategic Sector Cooperation between the Chinese and Danish authority’s focuses on food safety, resource efficiency and to reduce food loss and waste. Based on Danish strongholds within pig and dairy production, there are two bilateral collaborations.

The bilateral collaboration about a resource efficient and safe pig production in China, focuses on animal welfare and health, as well as biosecurity, traceability and the reduction of animal diseases. Together with the partners from Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, a research institution under the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration collaborates to improve the Chinese pig production on:

• Increasing the awareness about animal welfare and develop best practices
• Ensuring a higher level of biosecurity, especially in relation to transport of pigs in China, to avoid sick and deceased pigs
• Strengthening the monitoring, traceability and registration of pig and pig farms to ensure traceability and food safety
• Improving the systems for surveillance and management of animal health and diseases

The bilateral collaboration about food safety in the Chinese dairy sector, supports the Chinese authorities in achieving a safer food production, improve the food safety level and ensure public health. Together with partners from State Administration and Market Regulation, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration collaborates to improve the Chinese dairy production on:

• The official controls of food safety in the dairy sector, to ensure a high level of food safety
• Developing guidelines on the risks in the production of infant formula milk powder
• The planning of risk-based official controls in the dairy sector, with a focus on development of the use of data-modelling programs

The Maritime SSC aims to promote cooperation with the Chinese authorities on safe and green shipping through for example development of best practice and cooperation on international regulation. In addition, the aim is to improve the framework conditions for Danish shipping companies and promote opportunities for Danish maritime companies in China.

The cooperation program covers a broad range of maritime areas and has, among other things, focused on strengthening best practice in:

• Investigations of maritime accidents
• Port State Control
• Control of ships' sulphur emissions
• Control of ballast water discharge

In addition, knowledge and experience sharing, for example, digitization of ships, zero-emission ships, alternative fuels and offshore vessels is also a part of the cooperation. This has given an opportunity to present Danish companies' solutions. In addition, the cooperation between the Danish and Chinese authorities has strengthened bilateral relations, which, among other things, has resulted in increased collaboration in international forums on, for example, climate (IMO) and accident investigations (MAIIF).

The Chinese partners in the collaboration are China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA)/China Ministry of Transport (Water Transport Bureau) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The Strategic Sector Cooperation has been underway since 2017. Phase 3 of the project has started in 2024.

Sustainable development cannot happen without proper management of water, as it is essential for e.g. both climate adaptation and the health of humans and nature, to mention a few. China is facing major water challenges, including water scarcity, flooding, water pollution and ecosystem degradation. The SSC Water and Environment projects focus on exchanging best practices for legislation and regulation on groundwater and wastewater management between Denmark and China to ensure safe and adequate water resources, improve water environments and ecosystems, as well as efficient management of floods and nutrient run-off management.

This is achieved through continuous dialogue between Danish and Chinese environmental and water authorities, study tours to Denmark and China, and demonstration projects across China.

The bilateral cooperation on Groundwater Management specifically aims to assist the Ministry of Water Resources of China (MWR) in securing a sustainable and climate-resilient water supply while combating the overexploitation of groundwater resources in the North China Plain. The focus of this cooperation includes:

• Integrated Groundwater Modelling
• Groundwater Monitoring
• Control and Protection Measures
• Demonstration Project on Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) Solutions using Danish Technology

The bilateral cooperation on Wastewater Management seeks to support the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China (MEE) in developing policies and solutions to improve the water quality of rivers and lakes with a focus on managing wastewater from industries and rural areas. The focus of this cooperation includes:

• River Basin Management Planning
• Water Quality Monitoring and Classification
• Management of Environmental Hazardous Substances from Industries
• Four Demonstration Projects on Eco-restoration Measures and Wastewater Management Planning in Beijing and Jiangsu Province

The water collaborations supports the green bilateral cooperation and enhances the engagement between Danish Water Technology companies and Chinese authorities. Furthermore, the cooperation has strengthened the capacity of Chinese authorities to address current and future water challenges.

Denmark and China are experiencing similar challenges in sustaining public health. In both countries, the presence of chronic diseases and mental illness is increasing among the population along with challenging demographic changes. In order to combat these health issues the cooperation between Chinese and Danish health authorities, manifested by the Strategic Sector Cooperation project on health, is focusing on the exchange of knowledge and best practice solutions for the benefit of public health. The Strategic Sector Cooperation focusing on health was established in 2018 is consists of two bilateral partnerships; First, the Danish Medicines Agency (Lægemiddelstyrelsen) and the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) is cooperating on regulation of drugs and medical devices. Secondly, the Danish Health Authority (Sundhedstyrrelsen) and the Chinese National Health Commission (NHC), are cooperation on improvements on psychiatric- and primary care in China.

1. In the first field of the SSC-project the Danish Medicines Agency (Lægemiddelstyrelsen) and the Chinese National Medical Products Administration discuss and develop the regulation of drugs and best-practice solutions on three main topics: Drug registration and review, inspection and control, and medical devices, respectively. The main objective for this cooperation is to support a more effective management of healthcare in China, and it contributes to the development to safeguard public health in China. The parties is therefore working on different aspects including the planning and design of clinical trials, guidelines and evaluations.

    

2. In the cooperation between the Danish Health Authority and National Health Commission, an important milestone is the inspiration from the Danish primary healthcare and use of General Practitioners. The Chinese National Health Commission has shown interested to learn more about the Danish structure of health care, and how it can benefit the patients, while taking away pressure from the hospitals. The Danish Health Authority is therefore committed to contribute with its knowledge and experience in order to give inspiration to National Health Commission on how to improve and strengthen primary care in China.

Another key topic in the first SSC field is mental illness and anti-stigmatization thereof. As a third and important party, Peking University Sixth Hospital is taking part in the discussion and cooperation on early detection, prevention and treatment of mental illness in China. In this part, the work on primary health care is also playing a vital role in early detection and treatment of patients with mental health issues. Additionally, the work on anti-stigmatization of mental illness is a major focus area. Stigmatization of mental illness makes it harder for patients with mental disorders to recover when they are met with scepticism and discrimination in different social environments. Furthermore, inward- or self-stigmatization can prevent patients to seek the necessary help, making it difficult to do treatments at an early stage of mental illness.