ISTANBUL

Beijing on Monday renewed its call on the US to stop using “China threat” to justify its ambition to take over Greenland.

“China has repeatedly elaborated its position on the Greenland issue on many occasions. International law, based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, is the foundation of the current international order and must be safeguarded,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.

“We urge the US side to stop using the so-called ‘China threat’ as a pretext to pursue selfish gains,” Guo added.

He was responding to a question regarding US President Donald Trump's threats to impose an additional 10% tariff on those nations sending troops to the Arctic region.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has long attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources, as well as alleged concerns about rising Russian and Chinese activity, according to US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly vowed to acquire the island, and refused to rule out doing so militarily.

Denmark and Greenland have rejected proposals to sell the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty over the island.

In a fresh move, Trump said Saturday that Washington will impose 10% tariffs on goods from eight European nations, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, from Feb. 1, rising to 25% in June, for their opposition to US control of Greenland.

Following the announcement, the eight European countries issued a joint statement on Sunday, denouncing the US threat and reaffirming their commitment to Arctic security.