The rights and freedom of all countries to conduct activities in the Arctic in accordance with law should be fully respected, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Monday.
Mao Ning, the spokeswoman, made the statement at a regular press briefing in Beijing after U.S. President Donald Trump recently said that the United States needs to take control of Greenland to prevent China and Russia from taking over Denmark's Arctic territory.
"The Arctic concerns the overall interests of the international community. China's activities in the Arctic are intended to promote regional peace, stability and sustainable development of the Arctic, which is in full compliance with international law," Mao said.
"The lawful rights and freedoms of all states to conduct activities in the Arctic deserve due respect. The United States should not use other countries as a pretext for pursuing its own selfish interests," she said.
Rights, freedom of all countries to conduct activities in Arctic according to law should be respected: Chinese spokeswoman
The 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, opened its fourth session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday morning.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, and other Chinese leaders were present at the opening meeting which was attended by 2,765 NPC deputies.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a government work report on behalf of the State Council for deliberation.
During the session, which is scheduled to run from March 5 to 12, NPC deputies will deliberate the report on the work of the government; examine the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development; examine the report on the implementation of the 2025 plan for national economic and social development and on the 2026 draft plan, and the draft plan for national economic and social development in 2026; and examine the report on the execution of the central and local budgets for 2025 and on the draft central and local budgets for 2026, and the draft central and local budgets for 2026.
They will also deliberate bills put forward by the NPC Standing Committee on reviewing the draft environmental code; reviewing the draft law on promoting ethnic unity and progress; and reviewing the draft law on national development planning.
Additionally, NPC deputies will deliberate the work report of the NPC Standing Committee; deliberate the work report of the Supreme People's Court; deliberate the work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate; and deliberate the report of the NPC Standing Committee on the work of the overhaul of laws and the proposed handling of certain laws and decisions.
China's national legislature starts annual session
