Facing off against the CCP, Vance explains the importance of Greenland to the United States.

Recently, US Vice President Pence visited the US military base in Greenland and delivered a speech, explaining the significance of Greenland to the US, Denmark’s insufficient investment in Greenland, and the threats that the island faces from China and Russia. Experts also further analyzed the importance of Greenland to the US from a military perspective.

On March 28th, accompanied by his wife Usha Vance, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Pence visited the military base in Greenland. During his address to the military personnel at the base, he emphasized the importance of Greenland to the US. He mentioned that in the event of an enemy launching missiles towards the US, the US military base in Greenland could provide early warning to the US, alerting them to the impending danger, allowing for interception and preparation. Furthermore, Russia, China, and other countries have shown significant interest in the Arctic shipping routes and resources, and the US needs to ensure leadership in the Arctic region.

Pence stated that in the past two decades, Greenland, the US military base, and the surrounding areas have become less secure due to the lack of military spending by European allies. Denmark also has not allocated necessary resources to maintain the US military base and protect the safety of the Greenlandic people, leaving them vulnerable to aggressive activities from Russia, China, and other nations.

He emphasized that the US must do what is in its best interest, which is to ensure the safety of Greenland. If Greenland were to lose its autonomy, if the future of the Greenlandic people were controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, it would not only fail to improve their lives but more importantly, it would greatly weaken the security of the US and the world. “They (the CCP) have taken steps to invest and exploit resources here, plunging Greenland into a ridiculous debt trap. And we know they are deploying significant military resources here.”

Pence also stated, “We respect the self-determination of the Greenlandic people, but I want to reiterate to them that I believe being under US security protection, compared to being under Denmark’s protection, would be much better for them. In fact, Denmark’s protection just shifts everything to the US, expecting us to foot the bill.”

During Pence’s visit to Greenland, President Trump told reporters at the White House that the US needs Greenland to ensure world peace. “For international security, we need Greenland, that is very important. We must possess Greenland.” Trump mentioned that Greenland’s waterways are “teeming with Chinese and Russian vessels,” and the US will not rely on Denmark or any other country to handle this situation.

The recently exposed Pentagon confidential document “Interim National Defense Strategy Guidance” outlines President Trump’s vision, preparing to win a potential war with Beijing and defend the US from the “near-peer threats” of the CCP, including Greenland and the Panama Canal.

Military commentator Mark told Epoch Times that the primary threats to the US come from China and Russia, with Greenland being a crucial location.

He explained, “If China and Russia were to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles towards the US from land-based platforms, the shortest flight path would be north, crossing the Arctic, then attacking the US from the north. Therefore, the US missile early warning system primarily focuses on the North, with Greenland lying in the middle of missile attack routes.”

Mark also said that, of course, China’s nuclear submarines could launch intercontinental missiles in the South China Sea or the Philippine Sea, allowing the US defense systems in Guam and Hawaii to detect and intercept them in time.

As early as 1943, the US established the Thule Air Base in northern Greenland, later renamed the Pituffik Space Base. This was the northernmost US Air Force base on Earth and served as the first line of defense against potential Soviet attacks. During the Cold War, the US had 17 military facilities in Greenland with approximately 10,000 soldiers. Today, the US has only one base in Greenland with around 200 soldiers.

Professor Ming Juzheng from the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan University recently stated in an interview that launching missiles through the Arctic to attack the US is the shortest route. If China had a relay station in Greenland, they could precisely calibrate the missile’s trajectory, ensuring accurate strikes.

China has made repeated attempts to engage in infrastructure projects on Greenland, but these efforts have ended in failure due to skepticism about their true intentions.

In March 2018, Greenland planned to expand three airports to improve their aerial connectivity with the outside world. China Communications Construction Group, a state-owned enterprise, participated in the bidding for these projects and successfully made it to the final rounds. This raised concerns from Denmark and the US, with the Danish government ultimately funding the airport projects to maintain control, causing China Communications Construction Group to withdraw from the bidding.

In 2016, a Hong Kong-based private company with connections to Chinese state enterprises, Jun’an Group, attempted to acquire the disused Gronnedal naval base in southern Greenland but was unsuccessful due to Danish government intervention.

While Greenland and Denmark have shown caution in major infrastructure projects involving Chinese state enterprises, China has not abandoned its strategic intentions. Instead, they have shown interest in Greenland’s natural resources, including rare earth minerals, oil, and some rare metal deposits. However, due to environmental regulations, geopolitical considerations, and local opposition, large-scale extraction has not yet materialized and remains in the exploratory phase.

It is worth noting that developing natural resource projects also requires accompanying infrastructure, such as roads, ports, and energy facilities.

China’s Arctic strategy is becoming more aggressive. In January 2018, China released its first Arctic policy white paper, claiming to be a “near-Arctic state” despite being 1450 kilometers away from the Arctic Circle. The report stated that countries without territory in the Arctic have rights in the high seas of the Arctic Ocean for navigation, fishing, laying submarine cables and pipelines, and resource exploration and exploitation. The white paper also views the Arctic routes as an integral part of the Belt and Road Initiative, calling it the “Polar Silk Road.”

China’s military presence in the Arctic is increasing. In September of last year, Chinese and Russian coast guard ships conducted joint patrols in the Arctic Ocean for the first time. In the same month, China and Russia held the largest joint maritime military exercises in 30 years, involving the Arctic Ocean. Furthermore, the water areas under the Arctic ice cover are highly strategic passages for nuclear submarines. Although there is no evidence yet of Chinese submarines entering the Arctic, this possibility has caught the attention of some international security experts.

Mark stated that during the Cold War, the Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap (GIUK) was an essential passage for NATO to monitor Soviet submarines, and now Greenland has once again become a strategic military focal point for the US. Greenland’s geographical location enhances the US defense capability in the Arctic, especially aiding in the surveillance and confrontation of potential military activities from China and Russia in the region, not only defending against enemy military aircraft or intercontinental ballistic missiles attacking North America but also counteracting submarines and aircraft entering the Atlantic from the Arctic, threatening Western Europe and North American countries.

Military commentator Xiaolu Shan told Epoch Times that theoretically, the possibility of Chinese submarines entering the waters near Greenland exists, posing a potential threat to the US. The US will not permit the situation to escalate to such a degree and will not allow a repeat of the Cuban Missile Crisis.