The United States' threats to acquire Greenland have met strong opposition among locals on the island, and some Greenlandic residents described the U.S. attempt as utterly ridiculous.
"I don't like it at all. I think it is preposterous. We are free people, and we don't wish to become a part of the United States. So I think it's a very bad proposal," said Greenlandic writer Kelly Berthelsen.
"I think they are lying. They don't want to make us a state. Because I think they will make us a smaller area that doesn't have the same status as a state," said Alibak Hard, a flight coordinator at a Greenland-based helicopter company.
Greenland has a self-governing government within the Kingdom of Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining authority over its defense and foreign policies. The United States maintains a military base on the island.
Since returning to the White House in 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a strong desire to "obtain" Greenland by any means. On Friday, he even threatened to impose tariffs on countries that do not support his Greenland plan.
On January 12, Randy Fine, a Republican congressman from Florida, proposed a bill authorizing Trump to take all necessary measures to annex Greenland and eventually make it "officially a state of the United States."
Locals strongly oppose U.S. threats to seize Greenland
The China General Chamber of Commerce-USA (CGCC-USA) on Thursday hosted the annual Chinese New Year gala in New York, bringing together diplomats and business leaders to celebrate the ongoing China-U.S. collaboration across industries.
Chairman of CGCC-USA Hu Wei and Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng, among others, attended the event.
"We want to deliver the message to the business community, to the policymakers of the two sides, and to the heads of state of the two sides. We do believe that the synergy between the two sides is there, especially in the business side. So, we do have opportunities to expand that market. So that's why we gather here. We try to get together to a brighter future," Hu said.
"In 2025, President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump spoke on the phone four times, exchanged several letters, and held a successful summit in Busan, recalibrating the course of the giant ship of the China-U.S. relationship," Xie said.
The event honored companies driving investment, innovation, and cross-border cooperation.
"I think that in general, companies like to do business with people where they can have relationships wherever they're from. And over the years, decades actually, in Vornado, we've had outstanding relationships with many of the Chinese banks, and they've been great supporters, partners. And so, I think as you get to know people and you go through the ups and downs on the life cycle of deals, you develop that shared friendship. And as we get through it, [we will] still do business many, many years later," said Michael Franco, president and CEO of Vornado Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust based in New York.
As the Year of the Horse draws close, CGCC emphasized that momentum and partnership remain key to strong China-U.S. relations.
"[No] one can tell the future, but the only certain solution for us is to enhance communication and cooperation. So, it's the only, the best solution for all of us," said Zhang Jianyu, vice chair of CGCC-USA.
CGCC hosts Chinese New Year gala in New York to celebrate China-US collaboration across industries
CGCC hosts Chinese New Year gala in New York to celebrate China-US collaboration across industries
