Greenland and the Arctic: Why Trump Doesn’t Want Another South China Sea
With multiple NATO countries sending troops to Greenland in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s repeated comments about needing the territory for the US’ security, does the South China Sea offer any valuable lessons? As the polar ice caps melt, the Arctic Sea may soon become open year-round to global trade, resource extraction and the passage of military ships. Russia is the largest player in the Arctic, and it is investing heavily in its security infrastructure there. Over in the Indo-Pacific, China has played a similar role in the South China Sea, despite not having the longest coastline in the region (that would be Vietnam). Is Trump correct to claim that Russia and China pose a threat in the Arctic? And how should Greenland and Denmark respond to Trump? In this episode, we discuss the latest Greenland developments, Trump’s foreign policy ambitions, the militarization of the Arctic and South China Sea, and what it means for the geopolitical future of the two regions. *Recorded on January 16, 2026 at 11:00am Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Our guests: Lai I-chung -Prospect Foundation President Sana Hashmi -Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation Fellow Mark Montgomery -US Navy Rear Admiral (Ret.)
