China hits back at Trump's Greenland remark, defends Arctic operations

BEIJING, Jan 12 (Reuters) - China on Monday urged the United States not to use other countries as an excuse to pursue its own interests, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. needed to own Greenland to prevent Russia or China from occupying it in the future.

"The Arctic concerns the overall interests of the international community," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press conference. She said China's activities in the Arctic aim to promote peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region.

Mao also called for respecting the rights and freedoms of all nations to conduct lawful activities in the Arctic.