Danish Badminton Champion opens company in China

News brief

Danish badminton player Viktor Axelsen opens company in China

World champion Danish badminton player Viktor Axelsen has just opened a company in China together with his father. The new company will develop a supplement in relation to lactic acid, and this will be done in collaboration with another company in China, which is responsible for production. The new project VA Health has been underway for several years and the plan is to open up in Denmark in January as well.

In an interview with Danish newspaper BT, Viktor Axelsen says, “It is an area with enormous potential and I hope the product can help a lot of people who have stomach issues. Our focus is on lactic acid bacteria, and it is both a supplement for athletes as well as the general citizen. The product will be available worldwide.”

Throughout his career, the badminton player has been very focused on optimizing his lifestyle, diet and his body and constantly tried to find supplements. When the opportunity of manufacturing his own supplements presented itself, it was natural for him to go for it. As he speaks Chinese it was obvious that the project had to start in China.

Viktor Axelsen further explains, “When you travel a lot, you quickly find out how much your gastrointestinal flora means to the immune system. And optimizing is just a very important part of a healthy lifestyle as an athlete.” Viktor Axelsen is very involved in the project and plans to spend even more time on it, once the products are ready for sale. He hopes that this project is what he can devote his time to, once he retires from his career as a professional badminton player.

The Danish Parliament passed a critical statement on Tuesday 22 December 2020 criticizing China’s actions in Hong Kong. Photo: ólafur Steinar Rye Gestsson / Ritzau Scanpix

China criticized the Danish Parliament’s criticism of China

Less than 2 hours after the Danish parliament expressed its criticism over China’s security law in Hong Kong, the Chinese embassy in Denmark issued a statement criticizing the Danish Parliament for intervening in its domestic political affairs.

The critical statement, which passed parliament, said that over the past few years, China has continually diminished Hong Kong’s selfdetermination, cracked down on demonstrations, and intervened in Hong Kong’s electoral process and parliament.

A broad majority in the Danish Parliament (Folketing) passed the critical statement, which said:

“The Danish Parliament expresses its deep concern at the human rights situation in China and notes that with the recent restrictions on democratic rights in Hong Kong, two systems can no longer be meaningfully spoken of. The parliament urges the government, together with like-minded countries, to continue to criticize China for the human rights situation in the country - especially the deeply worrying situation in Hong Kong.”

Regarding the critical statement, The Embassy of China in Denmark released the following:

“The Chinese government attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of human rights. I emphasize that issues concerning Hong Kong is entirely a Chinese domestic policy issue, which the Danish parliament has no right to interfere in”.

The embassy continues: “Some Danish parliamentarians turn a blind eye to the facts and make unfounded attacks on China’s policy in Hong Kong as well as the human rights situation. We strongly urge these parliamentarians to stop interfering in China’s domestic political affairs.

China has long been criticized for violating human rights. In recent years, criticism has increased after it emerged that China is severely oppressing the Uighur population. They have largely been subjected to fierce scrutiny of all aspects of their lives, and China has detained over a million in secretive internment camps.

News brief Pinoy sporting excellence football player Sara Eggesvik from Norway

Filipino-Norwegian football player Sara Eggesvik with Charlton Athletic. Photo Philstar Global

Sara Eggesvik, half Filipino half Norwegian has made a name for herself in the world of women’s football. Sara Eggesvik was born in Bodo, Norway and at 23 years old she has already played professionally for clubs both in Norway and in England, and also internationally for Norway’s youth teams.

Filipino athletes across the world are making waves in their own respective sports. Phillstar acknowledges their Filipino athletic countrymen and in a newly published interview, they talk to another athlete of Filipino heritage who is also carrying the banner of Pinoy sporting excellence.

Though based on the other side of the world in Norway, Sara Eggesvik is close to her Filipino heritage through her mother, a Davao native. Her first encounter with football came through her older brother and watching him play football through their childhood, inspired her to take on the sport herself. After falling in love with the game, Sara realized her potential as a football player and after playing for four years in the seniors team of IK Grand Bodo, Sara Eggesvik was given a chance to play for Charlton Athletic in England, which competed in the region’s second-tier of women’s football.

After experiencing a higher level of play in Carlton and learning a great deal, Sara is now back in Norway again playing for a new club in KIL/Hemne since summer of this year.

Sara Eggesvik hopes to continue her growth in the sport, while also balancing her studies of medicine.

The Filipino culture stays a part of her everyday life through food and regular visits to the Philippines. Sara says: “I really enjoy being there. I try to be there as much as possible. I’m really proud, I love the Filipino culture.”

The football player also emphasized her Filipino family’s undying support of her in all her undertakings and explains the great interest they show in her football when she visits the Philippines.

When asked about being open to play for the Philippine women’s football team, which recently made the ranking of World No. 65 in the FIFA World Rankings Sara Eggesvik answers with a smile, “I think that would be fun”.

World-class quarantine center for seafarers established in Manila

The Norwegian shipowners have facilitated safe crew changes during the pandemic by establishing a world-class quarantine center for seafarers in Manila. The center was set-up on 27 November 2020 and is managed by the Norwegian Training Center led by the Managing Director of the NTC Erlend Grimstad and Jo Even Tomren.

Roughly 500,000 seafarers are currently unable to disembark or embark ships globally due to the restrictions related to the pandemic. Norwegian Shipping companies employ around 25,000 Filipino seafarers, accounting for one third of the total number of seafarers on Norwegian controlled vessels.