Home > China-Luxembourg relations >
China-Luxembourg relations
2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Numerous visits from both sides, enhancing bi-lateral relations have since taken place.
Two state visits underline the friendly relations between the two countries: the visit to China by HRH Grand Duke Jean in 1979, followed by the recent visit of His heir, the current Head of State, HRH Grand Duke Henri, in September 2006. Mutual visits at the prime ministerial level have further developed those bonds.
During his visit in 2006, HRH Grand Duke Henri inaugurated the Consulate General in Shanghai , including the Office of the Luxembourg Board of Economic Development, situated on the Bund in the historic Shanghai Pudong Development Bank building. At the same time, H.R.H. also announced Luxembourg’s participation in the World Expo 2010.
The Luxembourg participation in the Shanghai World Expo was to become its biggest ever at a World Expo. More than seven million visitors came to the 3000 m² pavilion over the six months of the Shanghai Expo 2010. The Luxembourg pavilion was extremely well received as the number of visitors shows and it was a feature on the many Chinese and foreign delegations Shanghai World Expo visitation routes. With its slogan “small is beautiful too”, the Luxembourg pavilion enabled visitors to get a better understanding of what Luxembourg stands for in Europe and in the world.
HRH Grand Duke Henri came to Shanghai to celebrate the Luxembourg Day at the World Expo on October 10th, 2010. HRH Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg came in June, accompanied by the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Minister Krecke, and by a BED delegation. The President of the Luxembourg Parliament, Laurent Mosar, also visited the pavilion.
The World Expo offered an excellent opportunity to strengthen Luxembourg’s cooperation with Chinese financial institutions. On May 26, 2010, ATTF and the Shanghai Financial Services Association signed an MOU regarding finance training, and on June 8, 2010, Bank of China organized a promotion event in the pavilion.
Trade relations and economic cooperation between the two countries have seen a steady increase and Luxembourg figures meantime among the main gateways for Chinese products shipped by air cargo to Europe.
Cultural and educational co-operation has also been in the focus of China-Luxembourg relations, as the agreement for academic cooperation, signed between the University of Tongji and the University of Luxembourg on May 20th 2007, illustrates. During the Shanghai World Expo in 2010, a number of Tongji students volunteered to help in the running of the Luxembourg pavilion.