India, Jan. 13 -- China said on Monday that the United States shouldn't use other countries as a "pretext" to pursue its interests in Greenland and said that its activities in the Arctic comply with international law. The comment by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson came in response to a question at a regular daily briefing. US President Donald Trump has said that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous region of NATO ally Denmark, to prevent Russia or China from taking it over.

Tensions have grown between Washington, Denmark and Greenland this month as Trump and his administration push the issue and the White House considers a range of options, including military force, to acquire the vast Arctic island...