China's diplomatic push on Greenland amid Taiwan tensions
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed "full respect" on Monday for Denmark's sovereignty and territorial integrity concerning Greenland. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen is visiting Beijing.
The Danish newspaper Berlingske notes that this "reaching out" by China is intended to counter the narrative of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has expressed interest in the Danish-controlled island.
"China is fully aware of the geopolitical role it can play in the context of Greenland," emphasizes the newspaper Berlingske.
The American administration accuses China of sending ships to the Arctic and criticizes the Copenhagen government for not fulfilling its defence obligations in Greenland. China is interested in establishing new shipping routes through the increasingly ice-free Arctic and in extracting Greenland's mineral deposits.
According to Berlingske, after several years of skepticism, the new Greenlandic authorities are once again more open to Chinese investments.
The Taiwan issue arises
Wang Yi, quoted by Reuters, also expressed hope that Denmark would continue to support the Chinese authorities' "legitimate position" on issues related to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Berlingske reminds readers that China claims rights to Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Last week in Copenhagen, at a symposium organized by former Danish Prime Minister and NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Community of Democracies hosted former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen as a guest. The Chinese Embassy viewed the visit as a "rejection of the international consensus on China's territorial unity." Beijing regards Taiwan as a rebellious province and does not rule out the use of force to take control of the island.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen's visit to China is connected with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
