AP Journalist

Greenland has made it very clear that it is not interested in trading its rare earth minerals with everyone, at least not at the moment. Earlier, it was Trump that was that was shooed away.  Now, it is Australia and China too. Greenland is one of the richest sources of rare earth in the world that still remains unexcavated for trade to the world.

Greenland holds some great geopolitical importance too. But dealing with the descendents of the Vikings isn’t getting any easier for any nation that now wants to have a prominent place in the geopolitical power game at the Arctic.

Earlier, Donald Trump wished to buy an island off and Denmark flatly refused. Now the An Australian company with Chinese connections called Greenland Minerals has been showing interest to develop the Kvanefjeld rare earth and uranium project in the south-west of the country. But Greenland is not interested in getting into a trade war.

The leader of Inuit Ataqatigiit party (IA), and likely next Prime Minister of Greenland, Mute Egede, has said he is opposed to the development of Kvanefjeld but not other possible mining projects. Inuit Ataqatigiit party candidate is clear that he does not want the uranium ore to be exploited. The use of uranium has been the biggest bone of contention for the Western world. The whole drama around the 2015 Nuclear Deal with Iran started over America wishing to ensure that Iran does not arm twist the world with its uranium reserves and would use it for peaceful purposes only.

Now, with the winning of the Inuit Ataqatigiit party, the possibility of any progress on the mining of the Kvanefjeld Mines looks like a distant dream. However, economists feel that the party will have to reassure the mining community that it is not averse to mining development itself.

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Rare earths are key to a wide range of modern technology, including smartphones, batteries and wind turbines. Their trade is becoming important for Greenland owing to challenges that the country faces in the face of global warming and need for self sufficiency. Its resources are becoming more and more visible and therefore it is only in favour of the country to use them for trade. Today, China accounts for nearly 60 percent of global production and it handles the vast majority of separating and refining — an uncomfortable situation for the U.S. and its allies such as Japan and Australia as tensions with Beijing continue to simmer.

Japan allows Coast Guard to strike first against Chinese vessels to counter intrusion in its waters

In the wake of Chinese law on maritime policy, Japan is scrambling to strengthen its Coast Guard. The Japanese Government on Friday permitted its coast guard to fire at foreign vessels trying to enter the territory around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. 

With this development, Japanese coast guards can strike first at any foreign vessel attempting to intrude on the Senkakus in order to protect their dominion in the East China Sea. 

In a tit-for-tat move, Japan appears to be abandoning pacifism to safeguard its territory around the Senkaku Islands, experts have analyzed. Even as Japan does not have an army, its self-defence force is among the most powerful forces in the world. 

Earlier this month, Beijing enacted legislation allowing its coast guard to use weapons against foreign vessels that China sees as illegally entering its jurisdiction.

Japan had expressed alarming concerns over the new law with the Defence Ministry issuing a warning that it could “shake the order based on international law.”

Over the last few months, several Chinese vessels loaded with firepower have entered the waters around the Japanese-administered (China-claimed) Senkaku Islands. Last year, Tokyo spotted Chinese ships near the Senkaku islands for a record 333 times, as per the Japan Coast Guard website.

Taking cognizance of the situation at the East China Sea, Japan gave free rein to its coast guard to shoot at foreign parties illegally entering its territory. Reportedly, coast guards of both countries regularly face off around the waters after Chinese vessels intrude in Japanese waters.

As per the Japanese Constitution, the coast guard is restricted from using weapons and military activities. Under a strict law, they are only allowed to fire weapons in case of emergency escape or self-defence. 

Responding to China’s new law, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had raised concerns that the security environment in the Indo-Pacific region has become severe. Amid China’s military buildup, Suga has also confirmed sweeping upgrades of Japan’s defense capabilities. 

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin in a press conference on February 8 said that Beijing is operating in its rights to stream through the waters. He further called the Senkaku islands “inherent Chinese territory,” as quoted by reports.

During a phone last month, US President Joe Biden assured PM Suga that Washington would follow its security treaty commitment with Japan in order to defend the islands under Tokyo’s administration. 

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“The two discussed the United States’ unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan under Article 5 of our security treaty, which includes the Senkaku Islands,” the White House said in a statement.