WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Wednesday met with Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod to discuss expanding U.S. presence in Greenland, after an open bid to purchase the island was rejected.

The two officials explored ways to "further enhance U.S. cooperation with the Kingdom of Denmark, including the United States opening a consulate in Greenland," according to a statement issued by the U.S. State Department.

Greenland, with a population of some 56,000, is an autonomous territory of Denmark with the Danish government retaining control of its foreign affairs and defense.

In mid-August, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed purchasing Greenland from Denmark but was rejected. In reaction, Trump called Danish prime minister's statement "nasty" and postponed a planned visit to the Nordic state.

Later, near the end of August, the U.S. State Department, in a letter sent to Congress, said a U.S. consulate in Greenland would be "a critical component of our efforts to increase U.S. presence in the Arctic and would serve as an effective platform to advance U.S. interests in Greenland."

Denmark and Greenland have welcomed the proposal to re-open a U.S. consulate in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, in a year. The previous U.S. consulate there ran from 1940 to 1953.