China’s engagement in Greenland: mutual economic benefits and political non-interference

With China becoming more active in Greenland, worries abound that China might have hidden intentions. Despite that, the Greenlandic government is showing an increasing interest in deepening its cooperation with China. This article explores Greenland’s motivation behind its positive attitude towards...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Research
Main Author: Chuan Chen
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v41.7706
https://doaj.org/article/5ac31bf06d384b728f4d940c89ce9a06
Description
Summary:With China becoming more active in Greenland, worries abound that China might have hidden intentions. Despite that, the Greenlandic government is showing an increasing interest in deepening its cooperation with China. This article explores Greenland’s motivation behind its positive attitude towards China and examines whether China will be a threat to Greenland’s independence. For Greenland, China is both a deep-pocketed investor and a huge consumer market, especially in the mining, fishing and tourism industries. Greenland, therefore, views China as an important partner in its economic development, which is necessary for its independence from Denmark. Considering China’s relationship with Denmark, its foreign policy and its affairs vis-à-vis Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan, it is not in China’s interest to interfere with any affairs related to Greenland’s independence.