China says THAAD cannot resolve security concerns

Record ID: 83376

  • Title: China says THAAD cannot resolve security concerns
  • Date: 30th September 2016
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (SEPTEMBER 30, 2016) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, WALKING IN FOR REGULAR BRIEFING MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "The United States' deployment of THAAD in South Korea cannot resolve the relevant parties' security concerns, is not helpful in realising the goal of denuclearization on the (Korean) Peninsula, and is not beneficial to safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula. It also seriously damages other countries' strategic security interests in the region including China's, and destroys regional strategic equilibrium." MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "China resolutely opposes this and will take necessary measures to protect its national security interests and regional strategic equilibrium. We strongly urge the United States and South Korea to do more for peace and stability on the peninsula, respect the reasonable security interests of other countries in the region, including China's, and immediately stop the relevant deployment process." BRIEFING IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING
  • Embargoed: 15th October 2016 10:42
  • Keywords: THAAD security China South Korea North Korea
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA
  • City: BEIJING, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Defence,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00151RB0W5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday (September 30) that the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea could not resolve the relevant parties' security concerns and should stop immediately.
    In July, South Korea agreed with the United States that the U.S. THAAD anti-missile unit would be deployed in the Seongju region, southeast of the capital, Seoul, to defend the country.
    A South Korean defense ministry official said on Friday that the country's military now aims to deploy the unit on a golf course at the high-end Lotte Skyhill Seongju Country Club, after it had to scrap its initial site for the battery in the face of opposition from residents.
    The deployment plan has also angered China, which worries that the THAAD's powerful radar would compromise its own security.
    "The United States' deployment of THAAD in South Korea cannot resolve the relevant parties' security concerns, is not helpful in realising the goal of denuclearization on the (Korean) Peninsula, and is not beneficial to safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula. It also seriously damages other countries' strategic security interests in the region including China's, and destroys regional strategic equilibrium," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing in Beijing.
    "China resolutely opposes this, and will take necessary measures to protect its national security interests and regional strategic equilibrium," he added. "We strongly urge the United States and South Korea to... immediately stop the relevant deployment process."
    The United States said this week that it would speed up deployment of the system given the pace of North Korea's missile tests, and it would be stationed in South Korea "as soon as possible".
    The United States and South Korea have said THAAD does not threaten China's security or target any country other than North Korea.
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