(CLO) A public opinion survey released on Tuesday showed that 85% of Greenlanders oppose the island becoming part of the United States, according to the Berlingske (Denmark) newspaper.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump declared that Greenland is of strategic importance to US national security and called on Denmark to relinquish control over the island.
Greenland is now at the center of geopolitical and geo-economic competition in many ways. Photo: Pexels
However, a survey conducted by Verian on Berlingske's orders found that only 6% of Greenlanders supported the idea of annexation to the US, while 9% were undecided or had not yet made a decision.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, larger in area than Mexico but with a population of only about 57,000. In 2009, Denmark granted Greenland broad autonomy, including the right to hold a referendum on independence.
Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede, a strong supporter of separation from Denmark, has repeatedly stressed that Greenland is not for sale and that the island's future must be decided by the Greenlanders themselves.
The United States currently has a major military base at Pituffik Air Base in northwest Greenland, a strategic location for the US ballistic missile early warning system, as the shortest route from Europe to North America passes through Greenland.
Under pressure from the United States, the Danish government has announced plans to spend 14.6 billion Danish krones (equivalent to 2.04 billion USD) to increase its military presence in the Arctic.
Tensions between the US and Denmark over Greenland are not new. In 2019, during his first term, Donald Trump proposed buying Greenland, but Denmark flatly rejected the idea. At that time, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the idea "ridiculous", causing Trump to angrily cancel an official visit to Copenhagen.
America's interest in Greenland is not simply a matter of geostrategy, but also related to the island's rich natural resources, including rare minerals such as rare earths, which are important in high-tech manufacturing.
Although the people of Greenland do not want to become part of the United States, with its important position in Washington's Arctic strategy, many experts predict that the US will continue to increase its influence in Greenland through diplomatic, economic and military measures in the coming time.
Cao Phong (according to Politico, Euronews, Berlingske)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/khao-sat-85-nguoi-dan-greenland-khong-muon-tro-thanh-mot-phan-cua-my-post332373.html
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