Carney says he spoke with China’s Xi about Greenland, Arctic sovereignty
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he and Chinese President Xi Jinping talked about Greenland’s sovereignty and the U.S. president’s threats to the territory during their meeting in Beijing today.
Carney says he “found much alignment of views” with his Chinese counterpart during that discussion, adding that Canada’s position is that Greenland should determine its own future.
The prime minister also said the meeting included talk of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty.
China, which views itself as a near-Arctic state, has taken an increasingly aggressive posture in the region that includes joint military exercises with Russia.
Canada’s latest defence policy warns of Chinese ambition in the Arctic.
After the bilateral meeting, Carney announced the two countries cut a deal to dramatically reduce their respective tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and Canadian agriculture products.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Russia and China co-operating more often and more closely in the Arctic, says NORAD commander, CBC News
Denmark: Analysis-Denmark sets a military tripwire. It’s a message to Trump more than Russia or China, CBC News
Finland: Finland preparing to send two liaison officers to Greenland, Yle News
Greenland: ‘No such thing as a better colonizer’: Inuit emphatically reject U.S. takeover of Greenland, CBC News
Iceland: NATO chief to Arctic Allies: “We’re all frontline states now,” as Iceland’s role grows, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: “We want to be Europe’s most integrated region in terms of defence”, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russia claims first-ever North Pole aerial refuelling, TASS reports, Reuters
Sweden: Swedish military to Greenland ahead of exercise, Radio Sweden
United States: Alaska’s Murkowski wants to reassure Denmark, but it’s not clear Congress is with her, CBC News
