Greenland FM aims to strengthen cooperation with China on week-long visit

Greenland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Motzfeldt is aiming to strengthen cooperation with China in areas including economy and trade, tourism and the Arctic region during a week-long visit to the country, with representatives from Visit Greenland, Air Greenland and other Greenlandic companies joining her delegation.

In Beijing, the foreign minister was received by Chinese Vice Commerce Minister and Deputy China International Trade Representative Ling Ji on Tuesday and Vice Foreign Minister Deng Li on Wednesday.

Situated in the Arctic on the Northern American continent, Greenland is the world's largest island, with an area of around 2.16 million square kilometers, but has a population of only 56,000, according to Greenland Self-Government's website. Greenland has its own extensive local government, but it's a part of the realm of Denmark and Greenlandic is recognised as the official language. 

On Monday, Motzfeldt officially opened Greenland's Representation to China in Beijing, and emphasized that the Greenland Self-Government has a long-standing friendship with China and Greenland's fishery companies have been involved in the Chinese market for 20 years. 

"Seafood export is an essential part of Greenland's economy, which is one of the reasons why the government decided to set up a representative office in Beijing," the foreign minister, whose visit to China is scheduled to conclude on October 28, noted. 

Opened in 2021, the Greenland representative office in Beijing handles Greenlandic official matters in China and nearby East Asian countries, according to the Danish Foreign Ministry's website. The establishment signifies a stronger presence and branding of Greenland in China. 

Greenland already has representative offices in Copenhagen, Brussels, Washington D.C. and Reykjavik.