(MENAFN- Asia Times)
While Western media called Republican President-elect Donald trump a“madman” for suggesting he would buy or“invade” Greenland, China is quietly building up a new maritime Silk Road in the Arctic Ocean with Russia's assistance.
On December 22, 2024, Trump wrote in an X post that“for purposes of national security and freedom throughout the world, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
On January 7, he told the media that he would not rule out using military or economic force in order to take over the autonomous Danish territory.
In August 2019, when Trump was in his first presidential term, he said he was considering an attempt to buy Greenland for strategic reasons. At the time, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Greenland was not for sale and that Trump's proposal was“absurd.” Trump called Frederiksen's comments“nasty.”
At that time, the 2022 Ukrainian-Russian war had not yet broken out and China-European Union relations were still relatively stable.
Back in January 2018, the Chinese government published“China's Arctic Policy ,” outlining its plan to“utilize Arctic resources in a lawful and rational manner.”
Those policies include:
China's participation in the development of Arctic shipping routes
Participating in the exploration for and exploitation of oil, gas, mineral and other non-living resources
Participating in conservation and utilization of fisheries and other living resources
Participating in developing tourism resources
“China is an important stakeholder in Arctic affairs. Geographically, China is a 'Near-Arctic State', one of the continental States that are closest to the Arctic Circle,” the Chinese government said in the policy statement.
“China has long been involved in Arctic affairs. In 1925, China joined the Spitsbergen (Svalbard) Treaty and started to participate in addressing the Arctic affairs,” it added.
“Since then, China has exerted more efforts in the exploration of the Arctic, expanding the scope of activities, gaining more experience and deepening cooperation with other participants.”
An icebreaker in the Arctic Ocean Photo: Baidu MENAFN12012025000159011032ID1109081886
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