Beijing has warned that any unilateral move by Washington to take control of Greenland could destabilize the Arctic, as concerns grow over rising military competition and strategic rivalry in the region. Chinese analysts say such a step would likely trigger diplomatic pushback and deepen tensions between major powers already vying for influence in the far north.
China’s response follows renewed comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has again argued that Greenland is vital to American security interests. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump underscored the island’s strategic value amid growing activity by rival nations.
“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,” Trump said.
The remarks came shortly after Washington carried out a military operation that resulted in the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a move that has already heightened global attention on U.S. use of force abroad. Trump has long floated the idea of bringing Greenland, a self governing territory of Denmark, under U.S. control, but his latest comments have revived international debate.
In a statement sent to China’s state run Xinhua News Agency, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Trump views acquiring Greenland as a national security priority aimed at deterring rivals in the Arctic. She added that the administration is weighing multiple approaches, including military options.
Chinese officials quickly pushed back. On Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian accused Washington of exploiting perceived threats for its own benefit, criticizing the U.S. for “using the so-called ‘China threat’ as a pretext for itself to seek selfish gains.”
China has steadily expanded its Arctic footprint over the past decade. In its 2018 Arctic Policy, Beijing labeled itself a “near-Arctic state,” asserting its right to participate in regional development, resource use and shipping. Since then, Chinese state linked firms have invested in Arctic energy projects and explored new maritime routes that could significantly shorten trade times between Asia and Europe.
“China would push back hard against any U.S. move to take control of Greenland, given Beijing’s commercial interests on the island — from resource exploration to the security of Arctic shipping routes,” said Xinbo Wu, director at the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.
The U.S. Defense Department has identified both China and Russia as primary competitors in the Arctic, citing expanded military capabilities and increased joint naval patrols. Analysts say Beijing could respond to Washington through multilateral diplomacy or by strengthening security cooperation with Moscow in the region.
“We are really getting into uncharted territory and we have to be extremely careful,” said Henry Wang, founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization. “The international community has to work together now and probably stop this kind of unilateral approach.”
At the center of the dispute is Greenland’s vast natural wealth. The territory holds major deposits of rare earth elements, uranium and zinc, resources critical for technologies ranging from electric vehicles to advanced defense systems. Some of Greenland’s rare earth reserves rank among the largest in the world, making the island a focal point for global competition.
China’s interests closely mirror those of the United States, according to Dan Wang, China director at Eurasia Group. The European Union has also sought access to Greenland’s critical minerals as it works to reduce dependence on external suppliers.
Despite this interest, Chinese investment in Greenland has slowed. Patrik Andersson of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs said investors have grown “much more cautious” amid geopolitical uncertainty, high operating costs and tighter scrutiny from Danish authorities, who retain the power to block foreign deals on security grounds.
In recent years, Denmark has intervened in several high profile cases. In 2016, Copenhagen blocked a Hong Kong linked firm from buying a former Danish naval base. Three years later, a Chinese state owned company withdrew from a 3.6 billion Danish kroner airport construction bid after Greenland opted for Danish financing instead.
Some Chinese backed projects have also stalled due to environmental concerns. Shenghe Resources acquired a stake in the Kvanefjeld project in 2016, but the rare earth and uranium mine was halted when Greenland reinstated a uranium mining ban in 2021.
While some estimates have placed Chinese Arctic investment above $90 billion, Harvard University’s Kennedy School said those figures were “highly exaggerated,” noting they included failed or canceled projects. As of June 2025, most Chinese backed resource ventures in Greenland had been paused or abandoned.
Even so, Greenland opened a representation office in Beijing in 2023, signaling continued interest in economic ties with China.
Shipping remains another flashpoint. Melting Arctic ice has opened shorter sea routes between Asia and Europe, an opportunity Beijing has embraced through its “Polar Silk Road.” China launched its first Arctic shipping route to Europe in September 2025, cutting travel times to about 20 days, roughly half that of the Suez Canal route. Chinese exports to the European Union rose 8.1 percent in the first eleven months of 2025.
China has also expanded polar research, including plans for satellite and research facilities in Greenland linked to its Beidou navigation system. U.S. officials have warned that such programs could have dual civilian and military uses.
“If Trump were to take Greenland, Beijing would frame this as U.S. unilateralism and North Atlantic militarization, while stressing respect for Danish-Greenlandic autonomy and UN-based rules,” said Dan Wang of Eurasia Group.
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