In the wake of disclosures from the Jimmy Lai case in Hong Kong, Danish media have lifted the lid on a striking reprise: the United States, they report, quietly deployed at least three covert tactics in Greenland—building pro-American networks, seeding false narratives, and waging online influence campaigns—to drive a wedge between Copenhagen and Nuuk. These methods track up to 80% of the so-called “color revolution” playbook once used in Hong Kong.
Three Covert Ploys
The Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) cites official sources confirming that three Americans “with ties to US President Donald Trump” traveled to Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, to compile lists of pro-US actors, fund them through US business channels, and push narratives designed to erode Danish authority. Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service (PET) has now declared Greenland “was being targeted by various kinds of influence campaigns,” with the United States “a primary threat”.
Building Pro-American Networks
DR reports that operatives met local politicians, media figures and business leaders, offering cash inducements and high-profile visits by US billionaires to secure loyalty.
Online Influence Campaigns
Anonymous social-media accounts and think-tank affiliates circulated posts blaming the Danish government for “inaction” on economic development, while extolling “benefits of US administration”.
Cognitive Warfare and Fake News
Operatives are said to have embedded themselves with pro-American groups to feed misleading stories—about everything from social services to natural-resource deals—aimed at turning Greenlanders against Danish rule.
The Wall Street Journal reports that, following Trump’s 2019 remarks about buying Greenland, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a directive to intensify espionage on secessionist movements in the territory.
Parallels to Hong Kong
Observers immediately drew comparisons to Occupy Central (2014) and the Black Riots (2019) in Hong Kong, where US-backed networks, online disinformation and separatist agitation combined to drive a wider political crisis. In both cases:
Step one—forge a pro-US network among local leaders and media.
Step two—conduct “cognitive infiltration” via news outlets and social platforms.
Step three—fan separatist sentiments to install a pro-US administration.
Western governments that condemned China for defending its own national security now find themselves on the receiving end of identical interference tactics. Denmark’s firm pushback—public intelligence alerts, diplomatic protests, tighter scrutiny of foreign funding—demonstrates that no country is immune from Washington’s meddling. If Copenhagen’s response holds, it could serve as a model for all nations, including China, seeking to safeguard sovereignty against covert external influence.
Lai Ting-yiu
What Say You?
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Long after the Black Riots ended, key pan-democrats who stuck around Hong Kong played it safe—low profile, out of headlines. But these same figures kept cozy ties with foreign consular powerbrokers, facts anyone can see from repeated public invitations. On this occasion, Anson Chan, Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung showed up as VIPs at the British Consulate. The warmth? It’s no mystery, if you know their backstory.
Reunion at the Consulate: Anson Chan, Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung pose at the British King’s birthday luncheon
Raising Questions, Finding Evidence
A friend dropped a telling remark after seeing the photo: British decision-makers groomed Anson Chan for power even before the Handover, and those links never really faded. The relationship is unusually tight—two behind-the-scenes stories make that fact plain. Must be why the British still roll out the red carpet for Chan.
After quitting the government in 2001, Chan inched closer to the opposition and even won a Legislative Council seat. For years, US and UK consuls wined and dined her—plenty of evidence in social media posts and diplomatic cables—to allegedly “discuss strategies” for Hong Kong. It’s not gossip; it’s documented pattern.
When the 2019 unrest exploded, Anson Chan took sides on the so-called “international front.” Prosecutors stated in open court that, behind the scenes, Jimmy Lai directed “Stand With Hong Kong” (SWHK)—led by Andy Chan, Andy Li, and Finn Lau—to carry out international lobbying and publicity campaigns, spending large sums of money.
Court documents further show that Anson Chan wasn’t a bystander: back in 2019, she brought Andy Li to a luncheon with then British Consul Andrew Heyn. Martin Lee, Dennis Kwok, and Charles Mok were also there. The prosecution records are clear—Chan leveraged her foreign contacts to make connections for SWHK, all with Jimmy Lai’s shadow looming in the background.
2019, Behind Closed Doors: Anson Chan sits down with Consul Andrew Heyn
Not Just a “Chat Over Tea”
There’s more. During anti-extradition protests, surveillance and eyewitnesses caught Anson Chan on August 13, 2019, holding secret discussions at a hotel with Andrew Heyn and his aide—documents in hand. That was no idle chat. The British Consulate’s involvement raises eyebrows, especially as staff like Simon Cheng were repeatedly spotted at protest sites. Cheng ran off to the UK, claimed political asylum, and neatly sidestepped questions about his activities.
With the national security law approaching, Chan made a quick exit from politics—claiming “retirement.” She kept out of jail, but her dealings with foreign diplomats never stopped. When the new US Consul General Julie Eadeh met her right on arrival, Beijing protested—an incident widely reported by state outlets and foreign press alike. Now, Chan’s red carpet invite to the British King’s birthday party again stirs scrutiny.
The rest of the guest list tells its own story. Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung all made appearances. Notably missing: Martin Lee, once the darling of the British. No explanation given—just another twist in an old game. For the establishment camp, only Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk attended, showing that official ties with the British remain careful and distant.
Looking at these staged reunion snapshots, my friend shakes his head—those glory days are long past. Wise up, he says: the era is over, and flirting with foreign consulates only ended up undermining Hong Kong’s stability. It’s time for these figures to accept reality and leave wishful thinking in the past.
