U.S. President Donald Trump has again raised the possibility of exerting control over Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory, heightening geopolitical tensions around the Arctic. Trump's remarks are seen as a move to check China's push into the Arctic, but some analysts said they could also unsettle European countries allied with the United States and end up bringing China and Europe's interests closer together.
On the 8th (local time), according to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP), Trump recently said Greenland is "needed by the United States right now," arguing for the need for control on national security grounds. He said, "Russian and Chinese vessels are present across the Arctic," stressing that "securing Greenland is a security issue." The White House also maintained a hard line, saying the possible deployment of U.S. troops to acquire Greenland is "always on the table."
China immediately pushed back. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "The U.S. remarks violate the principles of the U.N. Charter," urging respect for "sovereignty and territorial integrity." Beijing criticized Washington for using the so-called "China threat theory" as a pretext to expand U.S. interests. Chinese academia assessed that the U.S. comments on Greenland are likely to lead to actual policy rather than being mere rhetoric.
Greenland is a strategic chokepoint located between Russia and the United States, with abundant mineral and energy resources. As climate change accelerates Arctic ice melt, opening new sea routes and resource development prospects, competition among the United States, China and Russia has intensified. In 2018, China announced its "Polar Silk Road" initiative, signaling its intention to fold the Arctic into the Belt and Road strategy.
Still, experts pointed out that China's actual influence within Greenland is limited. Many mining projects involving Chinese corporations have been canceled or put on hold, and there have been no cases of the Chinese navy being permanently stationed near Greenland. Even so, if the United States raises the pressure by mentioning the possibility of annexation, analysts said China will have little choice but to recalibrate its Arctic strategy in a more independent direction.
Europe's response was firm. The Danish government strongly rejected Trump's claim, emphasizing that Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. Major European countries including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy issued a joint statement supporting Denmark and reaffirming the principles of sovereignty and the inviolability of borders. In European diplomatic circles, concerns were raised that U.S. pressure could undermine the stability of the trans-Atlantic alliance.
Some experts did not rule out the possibility that China and Europe could find common ground in the process. As resentment toward Washington's expansionary approach grows, Europe could seek a more cautious yet strategic balance in its relations with China. China, for its part, is stepping up efforts to position itself as a "stable and reliable partner" in Arctic development.
China operates Arctic research facilities in Norway, Sweden and Iceland, building its presence around scientific research. While China does not have decision-making power in the Arctic Council, it participates as an observer eligible to attend meetings and emphasizes an approach that values multilateral cooperation frameworks. Chinese scholars said Arctic scientific research has strong characteristics of a public good, making it difficult for any particular country to completely block China's participation.
Experts said, "Contrary to its intent to check China, Trump's remarks on Greenland could provoke Europe's strategic anxieties and, paradoxically, broaden the room for cooperation between China and Europe." There is a growing view that competition over the Arctic is moving into a new phase marked by multipolar calculations beyond a simple U.S.-China rivalry.