Fact Check: Is China a major threat around Greenland and the Arctic?

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump has repeatedly mentioned the United States needs to take control of Greenland to protect the region from security threats from adversaries like China.

But how much power does Beijing really have in the Arctic region? Is it a major threat to the US? 

Let’s find out below.

Claim: China is a major threat around Greenland and the Arctic

The claim suggests that China is aggressively expanding its footprint in the Arctic, posing an immediate risk to America’s security. 

On January 17, President Trump wrote on Truth Social, "World peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it." 

Furthermore, Trump also argues that Denmark lacks the military "strength" to defend threats, positioning the US as the only viable shield for the region's security.

Fact Check: China has interests in Arctic, but made little progress towards its goals

A number of analysts and political figures in the region have spoken about China's presence in and around Greenland. 

Although China hopes to build a "Polar Silk Road" to shorten trade routes to Europe, progress on this has been incredibly slow.

 According to Chinese state media, it took three years of planning just to complete a single trial voyage from China to Europe via the Northern Sea Route last year.

While Trump said in early January that Greenland is currently "covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place," maritime data and local officials tell a different story.

Since the region is currently frozen solid during the winter, there is no evidence of such activity.

Beijing has also hit back against Washington's security claims, calling the "so-called China-threat is baseless."

Meanwhile, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Mark Rutte has reaffirmed that the alliance will take steps to ensure "the Chinese and the Russians will not gain access" to Greenland's military or economic infrastructure, experts point that although China would like to establish more governance, infrastructure, and economic ties with the Arctic region, the actual progress has been remarkably limited. 

Greenland and Denmark have consistently blocked Chinese attempts to buy or build critical infrastructure, proving that local governance is a sturdy barrier to Beijing’s ambitions.

China’s failed ambitions in the Arctic region

Despite the rhetoric, China’s track record in Greenland is defined more by failure than success. 

Over the last decade, Beijing has attempted several moves that were ultimately shut down. 

In 2016, a Chinese company tried to buy an old naval base in Greenland, but the Danish government stepped in to block the sale for security reasons.

Later, Chinese firms expressed interest in building three international airports on the island but it prompted the US and Denmark to intervene, with Denmark eventually providing the funding itself to keep Chinese investment out. 

Even in the mining sector, which China often dominates globally, projects have stalled. 

A major iron ore mine and a rare earth project involving Chinese partners have both faced significant legal and environmental hurdles. 

While China calls itself a "near-Arctic state," its actual power in the region remains minimal rather than operational.