Analysis: Why is Trump bringing up Greenland now, what does it mean for allies?

A Chinese expert has said a U.S. move to take control of Greenland would represent a "betrayal and fragmentation of the U.S. alliance system" and "a grave violation of international law and international norms."

Following the recent U.S. military operation against Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his determination to acquire Greenland, saying the U.S. needs it for national security purposes.

Diao Daming, the deputy director of the National Academy of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of China, said: "After the U.S. government launched a sudden military operation against Venezuela, Trump made a special point of raising the issue of Greenland, declaring that he was determined to get it. In reality, at a time when the international community was still reeling from shock, this move amounted to what he framed as 'maximum deterrence' toward the relevant parties, aimed at testing whether they would make compromises favorable to the United States."

"The U.S. and Denmark are both NATO members and share collective defense obligations. At the NATO leaders' summit in The Hague last June, Trump and other NATO leaders jointly reaffirmed Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which is the collective defense clause. This means that the United States has a defense obligation toward Greenland, which is administered by Denmark, yet it now seeks to attack it. Such a behavior would inevitably trigger deep divisions within NATO. If this were to occur, it would represent not only the greatest betrayal and fragmentation of the U.S. alliance system, but also a grave violation of international law and international norms," Diao added.