Prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (Socialdemokraterne) and a delegation of business and civic leaders will visit China from September 10-13 to hold talks with representatives of the Chinese leadership.  Thorning-Schmidt hosted China’s president, Hu Jintao, in June. During that visit, the two countries signed agreements in several areas including energy, agriculture, health, culture and education. The prime minister’s office declined to say if those agreements would be discussed, but said that the visit would “focus on Danish business interests in China”. The PM will also speak at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin.

Lars Rohde, the current chief executive of the ATP pension fund, has been chosen by the government as the new head of Danmarks Nationalbank. Rohde will succeed Nils Bernstein in February 2013. Bernstein, one of three central bank governors, has been head of the central bank since 2005. He turns 70 in January, which is the retirement age for Danish central bank governors. Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said in a statement that Rohde was “very qualified” for the position. Rohde has been in charge of the ATP pension fund, Denmark’s largest, since 1998.