President Trump is right again. China wants to move in on Greenland, and neither Greenland nor Denmark can defend the Polar Route. The U.S. would be better positioned to protect Greenland, a strategically important island. As the ice melts, Greenland could eventually become a year-round route.
The Ice Silk Road
China launched its first regular commercial cargo service via the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route (NSR), also known as the Ice Silk Road.
The service runs from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in eastern China, through the Bering Strait, and along Russia’s northern Arctic coast to Europe (with initial stops including the UK, Germany, and Poland).
Shippers report a 30% to 40% decrease in distance and lower carbon emissions per shipment than southern alternatives. The route bypasses unstable or conflict-ridden southern maritime corridors, including the Red Sea (threatened by Houthi attacks) and Middle Eastern passages impacted by regional wars.
Russia controls the route, and it doesn’t pass near Greenland.
Passing Closer to the Polar Route
However, while China currently relies on the Russian-controlled NSR, future melting ice could open the Northwest Passage (which cuts through northern Canada) or a Transpolar Route (directly across the North Pole). Both of these conceptual future routes would pass much closer to Greenland’s coastal waters.
China’s Footprint in Greenland
Even though the ships don’t sail past Greenland, China has actively tried to build infrastructure on the island. Chinese state-owned companies have previously tried to fund Greenlandic airports and invested in rare-earth mining projects, viewing the island as a critical future hub for polar trade and resources. This presence has faced heavy pushback from Denmark and the United States.
Military positioning, industrial investments, and renewed diplomatic friction are holding them back.
China’s resource footprint in Greenland consists of strategic equity stakes in vast, unmined deposits rather than operational mines. Greenland holds some of the world’s largest deposits of rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals, which are highly prized for electronics, electric vehicles, and defense technology.
However, China does not own land in Greenland. Instead, Chinese state-backed companies have strategically positioned themselves in the island’s mining sector. Europe, NATO, and the US are strongly resisting those efforts.