Trump envoy warns China's power move at sea is threat 'we cannot afford to ignore'
China is using control over global seas as a tool of "political coercion," the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom warned, as President Donald Trump is restating his interest in...
By Fox News · Fox News
China is using control over global seas as a tool of "political coercion," the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom warned, as President Donald Trump is restating his interest in Greenland for that very same reason. China is seeking to turn ports, ships and supply chains into instruments of geopolitical leverage, U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Warren Stephens warned in a statement to the International Maritime Organization Council (IMO). "I spoke about a challenge that we cannot afford to ignore: China's systematic effort to use maritime power as an instrument of political coercion," Stephens wrote in a Truth Social post after the speech. "Beijing has pursued an aggressive strategy of acquiring port concessions and infrastructure around the world — not simply for commercial gain, but to extend its strategic reach and weaponize that access against sovereign nations." The U.S. is "not a passive observer of maritime affairs," Stephens told the IMO, calling America a "cornerstone of the global maritime economy." He said the U.S. Maritime Transportation System supports $5.4 trillion in economic activity each year and nearly 30 million jobs. SEN TODD YOUNG: THE HIDDEN DANGER CHINA’S SHIPS COULD BRING TO OUR SHORES The warning comes as Trump continued peacemaking efforts in the Strait of Hormuz and pressing Demark and NATO for U.S. control over Greenland due to Chinese and Russian threats to free navigation in the Arctic. "Denmark doesn't spend money to really help Greenland, but it's an important part for the United States, and it's surrounded by China ships and Russian ships," Trump said at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey . For global security, Greenland "should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark," Trump added. "They wouldn't go along with it," Trump said of Denmark. "And with all the money we spend to help them with Russia. And we don't have to spend any money, we could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe because, as you probably noticed, Europe is…