"I had a frank talk with my Chinese colleague about, among other things, stopping the deeply problematic Chinese support for Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine," Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in a statement published as he visited Beijing.
The foreign minister added that he had called for Beijing "instead using its influence in Moscow to stop the war," noting that China as a permanent member of the UN Security Council had a "particular responsibility".
Lokke's meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also included discussions about Greenland, the Danish autonomous territory coveted by US President Donald Trump.
The US president has insisted Washington needs control of Greenland for security reasons, refusing to rule out the use of force to secure it, sparking tensions between Denmark and the United States.
"China fully respects Denmark's sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Greenland issue," Wang Yi told his Danish counterpart, according to a readout of their discussion published by Beijing's foreign ministry.
The Danish foreign ministry also said Lokke had "appealed to the Chinese government to show restraint in the Taiwan Strait and emphasised the importance of avoiding unilateral changes to the status quo."
Lokke visited China to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Germany says China has 'a responsibility for global peace'
Berlin (AFP) May 19, 2025 -
Germany said Monday that China had "a responsibility for global peace" after Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul discussed Russia's war against Ukraine with his Beijing counterpart Wang Yi.
The call came at a time of growing worries in the West about ties between China and Russia, which have drawn closer since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
"Russia's war in Ukraine affects core European interests," the German foreign ministry posted on X after Wadephul's first phone call with Wang since taking up his post.
According to a readout of the call from China's foreign ministry, Wang said China was committed to helping reach "a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement through direct dialogue".
The call came as efforts intensify for a ceasefire in the more than three-year-old conflict, with US President Donald Trump set to speak by phone with Russia's Vladimir Putin on Monday.
Last week Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in his first major speech to parliament since taking office, said Germany was worried about closer ties between Beijing and Moscow and would press China to ensure it "contributes to resolving the war in Ukraine".
Germany and China have long had close relations, particularly on the economic front, and the foreign ministry in Berlin noted Monday that bilateral ties remained "important".
Merz has also emphasised that his government would continue the policy of "de-risking" -- or seeking to reduce its heavy economic dependence -- when it comes to ties with Beijing.
But in his call with Wadephul, Wang warned that the two countries should prevent the "undermining of normal bilateral cooperation" through such a policy, according to Beijing's foreign ministry.
He also expressed hope the European Union and China could resolve a row triggered by the bloc's move last year to impose extra tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars over claims that Chinese subsidies undercut European automakers.
Germany had spoken out against the move, fearing retaliation against its car manufacturers in the important Chinese market.
Wang also said Beijing and Berlin should "uphold free trade" and "work together to oppose unilateralism and protectionism", according to the foreign ministry.
China has been hit with the heftiest levies of any US trading partner amid Trump's tariff blitz. The EU has also been singled out by Trump but is facing lower tariffs.
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