China on Monday said the United States should not use other countries as a "pretext" to chase its interests in Greenland. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, said China’s work in the Arctic aims to promote peace, stability, and growth while following international law. US President Donald Trump has expressed a strong wish to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous territory under Denmark, a NATO ally. He fears Russia or China might take control if the US doesn’t act. Trump stated, "I'd rather make a deal for Greenland, but one way or the other, we're going to have Greenland." This has caused friction between Washington, Denmark, and Greenland. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that a US takeover would end NATO. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and other local leaders declared that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people, adding their "wish that the United States' contempt for our country ends." China called its role as a "near-Arctic state" in 2018 to boost influence in the region and unveiled plans for a "Polar Silk Road" as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Mao Ning emphasized that all countries' rights to conduct activities legally in the Arctic must be respected, without mentioning Greenland directly. She said, "The Arctic concerns the overall interests of the international community," urging the US not to pursue its goals under false pretenses. Diplomatic talks are scheduled this week with Danish and Greenlandic envoys visiting Washington and plans for US senators to visit Denmark underway.