It is important for Greenland to cooperate with China, Greenlandic leader Aleqa Hammond said on Tuesday.

In an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the on-going Arctic Frontiers conference in the northern Norewegian city of Tromso, Hammond said that her government has a very good dialogue with China, a world economic powerhouse.

Since Greenland's mining opportunities will have an enormous impact on the world economy, "it is natural that we have a dialogue together," said Hammond during a speech delivered earlier on Tuesday morning at the Arctic Frontiers.

Climate change and receding icecap make Greenland see the chance of economic independence by mining and tapping oil and gas resources.

"We want a strong economy and economic autonomy" for Greenland, which has a population of a bit more than 56,000, said Hammond. Signals for foreign investment are very strong to finance the mining sector, she said.

Mining companies will be allowed to hire workers from outside the island as long as local principles and values are respected, said Hammond.

Commenting on reports on a possible employment of 3,000 Chinese workers in a mining project in Greenland, Hammond said, "I have noticed that a lot of media around the world asking us questions whether this is a Chinese invasion."

This is not about a Chinese invasion. This is about mining and using human resources, Hammond said.