Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen File photo: VCG
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claims that the US needs Greenland and that it is “covered” with Chinese ships, Reuters reported on Wednesday. A Chinese expert said that Washington cannot cover up its hegemonic behavior by smearing China.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday night, Trump was asked about his comments on Greenland, to which he reiterated, “We need Greenland from a national security situation. It’s so strategic right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is not going to be able to do it,” according to NPR.
Rasmussen rejected earlier statements by Trump that Denmark is unable to protect Greenland, Reuters reported. “We do not share this image that Greenland is plastered with Chinese investments… nor that there are Chinese warships up and down along Greenland,” he was quoted by Reuters as saying, adding that the US was welcome to invest more on the island.
China has also refuted the relevant claims. On Monday, in response to the US president’s claims that the US needs Greenland and one of the reasons he gave was because it is “covered with Chinese ships,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that “we urge the US to stop using the so-called ‘China threat’ as a pretext for itself to seek selfish gains.”
The US’ move targeting Greenland is, in essence, a blatant threat of plunder and coercion. Yet the US has tried to turn the tables by diverting public opinion toward China, which is a familiar form of public opinion manipulation long used by Washington, Dong Yifan, an associate research fellow at the Belt and Road Academy of Beijing Language and Culture University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
“Washington should not expect to cover up its hegemonic behavior by smearing China, nor can such actions prevent China from developing normal and legitimate economic and trade relations with countries and regions around the world,” Dong said.
Notably, the US president’s claim of US “absolutely” needing Greenland for defense has also met with immediate opposition from leaders of Denmark and Greenland, who urged the US to stop threatening to take over the Danish territory.
European leaders have also dramatically rallied together in support of Denmark and Greenland after one of Trump’s leading aides suggested the US may be willing to seize control of the Arctic territory by force, the Guardian said.
“Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” read the statement on Tuesday jointly issued by the European leaders to push back against Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland, saying security in the Arctic must be achieved collectively.
The statement was signed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as well as the leaders of Italy, Spain, and Poland, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, the White House said Tuesday that Trump is “discussing a range of options” to acquire Greenland, making clear that using the US military is not off the table, according to CNN.
Denmark and its NATO allies pushed back Tuesday after Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller claimed the US has a right to Greenland and did not rule out use of American military force to seize it, ABC News reported.
Following the US’ sudden raid on Venezuela, which triggered concerns from many countries, some defense-focused media reported that there has been a sudden surge of US aircraft to Europe, prompting speculation of future special operations in the region. The deployment comes amid the US’ Venezuela takeover fueling fresh worry about a US taking over Greenland, media reports said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that recent administration threats against Greenland didn’t signal an imminent invasion and that the goal is to buy the island from Denmark, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
Aaja Chemnitz, one of Greenland’s two members of the Danish parliament, is calling for Greenland and Denmark to move beyond diplomacy and take concrete steps to strengthen security and preparedness to counter increasingly aggressive statements from Trump and his allies about Greenland, the Arctic Today reported on Tuesday.
Chemnitz also accused Trump of exaggerating and manipulating claims about the security situation around Greenland, particularly regarding foreign naval activity, the Arctic Today said. “There is a persistent interest in Greenland where, for example, the presence of Russian and Chinese ships in Greenlandic waters is exaggerated,” she said, per the Arctic Today.