China Issues Blunt Warning Over Trump’s Greenland Talk | EUROtoday

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — China mentioned Monday that the United States shouldn’t use different international locations as a “pretext” to pursue its pursuits in Greenland and mentioned that its actions within the Arctic adjust to worldwide legislation.

The remark by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson got here in response to a query at a daily each day briefing. U.S. President Donald Trump has mentioned that he want to make a deal to accumulate Greenland, a semiautonomous area of NATO ally Denmark, to forestall Russia or China from taking it over.

Tensions have grown between Washington, Denmark and Greenland this month as Trump and his administration push the problem and the White House considers a variety of choices, together with army pressure, to accumulate the huge Arctic island.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that an American takeover of Greenland would mark the top of NATO. On Friday, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and the leaders of the 4 different events within the territory’s parliament issued a joint assertion reiterating that Greenland’s future have to be determined by its folks and emphasizing their “wish that the United States’ contempt for our country ends.”

Trump reiterated his argument that the U.S. must “take Greenland,” in any other case Russia or China would, in feedback aboard Air Force One on Sunday. He mentioned he’d slightly “make a deal” for the territory, “but one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland.”

China in 2018 declared itself a “near-Arctic state” in an effort to realize extra affect within the area. Beijing has additionally introduced plans to construct a “Polar Silk Road” as a part of its international Belt and Road Initiative, which has created financial hyperlinks with international locations world wide.

Asked in Beijing Monday about U.S. statements that it’s needed for Washington to take over Greenland to forestall China and Russia from taking management, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning replied that “China’s activities in the Arctic are aimed at promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region and are in accordance with international law.” She didn’t elaborate on these actions.

“The rights and freedoms of all countries to conduct activities in the Arctic in accordance with the law should be fully respected,” Mao mentioned, with out mentioning Greenland immediately. “The U.S. should not pursue its own interests by using other countries as a pretext.”

She mentioned that “the Arctic concerns the overall interests of the international community.”

Danish and Greenlandic envoys are anticipated in Washington this week for talks, and plans are additionally being put collectively for U.S. senators to go to Denmark.