Roving Periscope: China supports Denmark on Greenland; wants its support on Taiwan!
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Taiwan is to China what Greenland is to Denmark—at least Beijing believes so.
According to the media reports on Monday, China said it respects Denmark’s sovereignty on Greenland, and sought its reciprocity on Taiwan, the breakaway self-ruled, democratic island territory which calls itself the “Republic of China.”
The Sino-Danish diplomatic exchange came amid renewed friction in their ties, which have historically been strained by Denmark’s informal relations with Taiwan.
In a handout released by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Beijing in this regard.
China fully respects Denmark’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Greenland issue, Wang Yi told his Danish counterpart, urging the European nation to reciprocate over China’s own sovereignty concerns.
US President Donald Trump has in recent months insisted that Washington should take over the strategically located, semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland.
Beijing hopes Denmark will “continue to support China’s legitimate position on issues concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Wang told Rasmussen, according to a ministry statement.
The meeting took place after Beijing criticized Denmark for hosting former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen last week, who met Danish lawmakers and gave a speech at a democracy summit in Copenhagen.
China claims democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claim.
Ties between China and Denmark are challenged by the latter’s informal relations with Taiwan and hit a low point in 2009 when the Dalai Lama visited Copenhagen.
But relations improved after Denmark accepted China’s offer of two pandas as part of its so-called “panda diplomacy.”
The two countries’ cooperation has a large focus on green solutions, with Denmark’s expertise in wind power and environmental solutions matching China’s appetite for the green transition.
China is willing to deepen economic and trade cooperation with Denmark, as well as cooperation in scientific innovation and the green economy, Wang told Rasmussen.
The two sides share a widespread consensus on safeguarding multilateralism and defending free trade, he said, adding that China is willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the EU.
