Special Challenge: Hong Kong/Grenlanda

Promoting more rapid economic development has pushed mainly European states to expand, with different territorial properties around the world. Many years later it is the US that make such a development, but it's not just the economic premises for managing special territories, it's the political, military and security interest. The existence of these territories has made the world much more diverse, and as such, it has also affected international relations. Many special territories may not have any actual stable status, so they are most often subject to changes advancing or degrading their position.

Special territories like Hong Kong or even Greenland have been created as a result of the long-standing historical period of colonization and decolonization. This does not mean that these vast territories are treated as colonies or similar because the inhabitants of those territories certainly have a political will. Diplomatic analysts were the ones who created similar agreements that created just these special territories, but not only them, because it was also the political and military force that brought about in some cases the creation of those specific areas or territories.

One of China's special administrative regions, Hong Kong, is now facing massive protests by students, but not only by them, they are being supported by their teachers and thousands of citizens. Pro-democratic protests have no doubt accompanied clashes between protesters and police. The government in Beijing has expressed readiness to extinguish those protests with a automatism by intervening with its military forces.

It was precisely the bill that allowed the suspects to face trial on China territory, which sparked all those protests, no doubt that bill was suspended, while the protesters' demand has advanced further, demanding the resignation of leader Carrie Lam, as well as the break-up of the current legislature, and also a full investigation into the use of police force against protesters. The gathering center of the Chinese military forces has become the city of Senzhen, located on the outskirts of Hong Kong, which is actually among the two countries the administrative border. Whether to intervene in Hong Kong or not, it is also sending the message to the citizens of Hong Kong but also to the international factors that this territory, regardless of the specifics that result from its acceptance, on the part of Great Britain, is now considered part of China, and that the Chinese regime will eventually extend its influence to this territory.

What China's eventual intervention in Hong Kong could produce is the conclusion of what is known as “One China with two” systems, as well as the economic weight Hong Kong has in international relations would be spoiled almost entirely or placed at its limits. Likewise, even all those who China has been opposed by the Communist Party respectively, hence its enemies, and who are “hron” in Hong Kong would be arrested or even executed. The Western world, particularly the United States and the European Union countries, will be unable to undertake something concrete in this direction because all possible actions will remain only at the level of statements, conferences or military and economic sanctions against the great China. While Hong Kong would become a country if we could say annexed like Russia's annexed Crime. To avoid coming to this, a warning has been given by President Donald Trump, suggesting Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet with the protesters and find a solution.

Island Europe on the North American mainland

A few days ago, the idea of buying Greenland by the United States was re-established, the idea since 1946 or the idea created between 1941-1946 when Greenland was brought under US military control. As at the time, the offer to purchase the island from the United States was rejected by the Danish government. The realisation of Greenland's purchase idea comes on the eve of a political moment that is expected to take place in 2021. The Danish government, with re-actualizing the idea of buying the island, had said that this idea is crazy, as a result of this statement, President Donald Trump cancelled his visit to Copenhagen, this previous visit to happen in early September. This action of President Trump shows the seriousness of American intent on the island.

The international rights of Greenland's inhabitants recognise them as a people, so the political ambition for independence from Denmark is expressed by almost all political parties. A potentially independent Greenland would be the 13th state in the world from the geographic surface. I think Greenland's independence will not only remain a matter between the Danish Kingdom and the Greenlandic, for there will no doubt have the overall (world) impact on international relations. Why might there be implications from international factors? It's exactly the geographic position and the huge reserves of the ice that Greenland possesses and how it has a direct impact on climate change across the globe. Also, the island's geopolitical position is of great importance, so a eventually independent Greenland with a small and influential population so undoubtedly will be a target by great superpowers.

So US interest in buying the island is interest in political, military and geostrategic character. This is best witnessed by the U.S. base established in Toile since 1950. So if there is no eventual agreement between the United States and the Danish Kingdom for the island now, there will no doubt be an agreement between the Greenlandns and the United States by 2021. This time around, the U.S. government seems more determined than ever in its quest for an agreement on the island because the military base in Toule seems to be expanding to meet global security challenges.

(Ridvan Emini is a scholar of international relations and philosophy)