January 20, 2026 | 07:16 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to stop using China as an excuse to take over Greenland.
"We urge the U.S. to stop using the so-called “China threat” as a pretext for itself to seek selfish gains," said Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun in a press conference in Beijing on Monday, as quoted by Antara.
Trump has repeatedly stated that Denmark cannot be relied upon to protect Greenland from potential Russian or Chinese threats.
Trump claimed that the U.S. needs Greenland for its national security to prevent Russia and China from entering.
"China has stated its position on multiple occasions on Greenland. The international law underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter is the foundation of the current international order and must be upheld," Guo Jiakun added.
Trump mentioned that Denmark only puts on a small dog sled patrol, referring to the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a special military unit in Denmark that guards Greenland, which he deemed insufficient.
On Saturday, Trump announced that Washington would impose a 10 percent tariff on goods from eight European countries, namely Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, and Finland, starting from February 1.
Trump also determined that the tariff hike to 25 percent would be implemented in June, in response to the rejection of these countries of the U.S. control over Greenland.
Following the announcement, the eight European countries issued a joint statement on Sunday condemning the U.S. threats and reaffirming their commitment to security in the Arctic region.
A day later, the Financial Times reported that the European Union is considering imposing tariffs worth 93 billion euros on Washington or restricting access for U.S. companies to the bloc's market.
In addition, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, France, Britain, Germany, and Finland have announced plans to send troops to Greenland, following an announcement by the Danish Armed Forces stating that they will strengthen their forces in Greenland through cooperation with NATO and intensify exercises on the island.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate from the Democratic Party stated that it would propose a bill to stop President Donald Trump's plan to impose import tariffs on European countries amidst escalating tensions related to the discourse of purchasing Greenland.
Greenland, located in the Arctic region, the North Pole, was a Danish colony until 1953 and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark after gaining autonomous status in 2009. The world's largest island has a strategic location and abundant mineral resources.
Greenland has its own government and extensive authority to regulate domestic affairs, although foreign policy and defense policies remain in the hands of Copenhagen.
Read: Trump and Xi May Meet in Beijing in April, But India's Worries Remain
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