China has once again
expressed opposition to the deployment of an advanced US missile system
in South Korea, calling on Seoul to remove the controversial Terminal
High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remark at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.
South
Korea and the US say the sole purpose of the THAAD system, which is
meant to intercept and destroy short- and medium-range ballistic
missiles during their final phase of flight, is to guard against
potential threats from North Korea.
But China’s state-owned media,
citing a statement from the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said the
“deployment will severely damage China’s security interests and
undermine the regional strategic balance.”
The statement further
said that Beijing was “gravely concerned” over reports about new THAAD
launchers, which have been installed in addition to the two that had
already been deployed.
A
THAAD missile is seen being launched during a test in this undated
handout photo provided by the US Department of Defense. (Via Reuters)
Earlier
this week, South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced that documents
submitted to him after being sworn into office had been intentionally
censored to conceal information on the installment of four new rocket
launchers.
Moon’s spokesman, Yoon Young-chan, said all military
officials involved in generating the report admitted that these key
parts had been removed from the text in the editing process.
North
Korea and China believe the THAAD deployment is meant to expand US
hegemony. They also believe that the deployment of the US missile system
on the Korean Peninsula would destabilize the region’s security by
upsetting the military status quo.
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