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ExplainerTrump says Greenland is ‘surrounded’ by Chinese ships. What’s the real story?

China has engaged with Greenland in areas ranging from oil and minerals to tourism. But its footprint is far smaller than Trump claims

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A view of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. The United States aims to acquire Greenland, which is a self-governing Danish territory. Photo: AFP
Xiaofei Xuin Paris

Just 24 hours after abducting the former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife from Caracas, US President Donald Trump had already named his next potential target for military action: Greenland.

Trump has been discussing “a range of options” – including the use of armed force – to acquire the self-governed Danish territory, the White House said on Tuesday.
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What would a US takeover of Greenland mean for China, if it were to really happen? The Post breaks down trade relations between the island and China – and how they have evolved over the past decade.

Is Greenland surrounded by Chinese ships?

In an interview with the Atlantic on Sunday, Trump described Greenland as being “surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships”.

But that is not true.

Greenland occupies a strategic location in China’s “polar silk road” – one of three main trade corridors envisioned in the Belt and Road Initiative – which was outlined by Beijing in 2017.
However, Beijing has so far mostly made progress on the Russian and European part of the strategy. The shipping routes Chinese companies have launched to connect China and Europe via the Arctic do not reach Greenland, which geographically belongs to North America.
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Chinese activities across the Arctic region remain limited and have faced strong pushback from European countries in the area, researchers from the Rand Corporation noted in early 2025.

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