At Davos, China’s He Lifeng warns against ‘law of the jungle’ amid US Greenland push

China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng warned on Tuesday (January 20) that the global order must not slide back into a “law of the jungle,” where powerful countries dominate weaker ones. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, He criticised the idea that a small number of countries should act on narrow self-interest or claim special privileges. His statement came amid heightened tensions as US President Donald Trump intensifies his “America First” stance, including renewed pressure on NATO ally Denmark to hand over Greenland. He stressed that every nation has the right to safeguard its legitimate interests.

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In an oblique criticism of US President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade stance, he condemned the “unilateral” measures and trade deals pursued by “certain countries,” arguing that they breach World Trade Organization rules.

Beijing and Washington were embroiled in an intense trade dispute last year, with both sides imposing retaliatory tariffs on each other’s goods. He warned that the multilateral trading system is under unprecedented strain, saying it faces serious and growing challenges. He added that countries must stand firm in defending multilateralism and work toward a fairer and more balanced global economic and trading order.

EU warns of firm response to Trump’s Greenland push

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged a firm response on Tuesday to Donald Trump’s threats concerning Greenland, as the US president indicated he was open to discussions on the Arctic territory at the Davos forum. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort, von der Leyen cautioned that Trump’s stance could push relations between the United States and the European Union into a damaging decline over the self-governing Danish island.

She told global political and business leaders that proposed new tariffs were misguided, particularly between partners with a long history of cooperation. Von der Leyen warned that escalating tensions would only benefit shared rivals, adding that the EU’s reaction would be resolute, unified, and proportionate.