The Business Times
business-time-50

Geoeconomics, not just geopolitics, fuels the Greenland dispute

With mineral reserves valued at around US$186 billion, the island offers more than a security buffer

Summarise
google-preferred-sourceAdd BT as a preferred source
阅读简体中文版 (beta)
    • Greenland, which is currently about 80 per cent ice-capped, is almost 2.17 million sq km in size. It boasts the world’s northernmost territory, the closest land to the North Pole.
    • Greenland, which is currently about 80 per cent ice-capped, is almost 2.17 million sq km in size. It boasts the world’s northernmost territory, the closest land to the North Pole. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

    Andrew Hammond

    Published Fri, Jan 16, 2026 · 07:00 AM

    THE US-driven debate over the future of Greenland has recently been framed largely in defence-related terms. However, it is geoeconomics, not only geopolitics, at the heart of the public dispute given the island’s vast critical mineral deposits and strategic location.

    On Wednesday (Jan 14), the diplomatic friction came to a head. Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen met US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, DC.

    Rasmussen described the session as “frank but constructive”, but noted a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland persists. The nations announced a new working group to discuss potential ways forward.

    GreenlandUnited StatesDenmarkgeoeconomicsGeopoliticsTrump administration

    TRENDING NOW

    The 99-year leasehold Berlayar Drive site can yield about 415 private housing units.

    Hong Leong, GuocoLand JV sole bidder for condo plot on former Keppel Club site

    Nvidia is building ever-larger chips with billions of transistors and increasing amounts of high-bandwidth memory attached.

    Nvidia will soon face a chip limit, warns Huawei’s top scientist

    Yeoh Pei Xien is the youngest grandchild of Yeoh Tiong Lay, who founded Malaysian multinational conglomerate YTL Corporation.

    Yeoh Pei Xien: YTL’s third-gen scion with a pastor’s heart

    Developments that are between 40 and 59 years old would need at least 70% of owners to agree to go ahead, down from the current 80%.

    Lower consent hurdle among changes proposed for en bloc sales to spur redevelopment, protect minority owners

    Latest T-bills Treasury Bills Results & Interest NewsLatest SSB Singapore Savings Bonds NewsLatest COE Certificate of Entitlement News
    Latest Johor-Singapore SEZ NewsLatest BTO Build To Order & Sales of Balance NewsLatest STI Straits Times Index NewsLatest SGX Dividends, Share Price NewsLatest Bonds Market NewsLatest Singapore Stocks To Buy NewsLatest Singapore Economy News
    View More