China, Russia voice serious concern over THAAD deployment in South Korea

MOSCOW - China and Russia on Thursday voiced serious concern over the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea.

At a fourth meeting on Northeast Asia security held in Moscow, Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov noted that such a unilateral and non-constructive action taken by the US brings negative effects to the strategic balance, security and stability of the region and the world.

The deployment of the advanced US missile defense system in South Korea is just a part of Washington's global anti-missile scheme, which clearly contradicts with the aims claimed by the US and South Korean governments, the two officials noted.

Expressing the firm opposition to issues relevant to the THAAD deployment, both sides agreed to enhance coordination in order to better cope with the negative developments, also to protect the strategic security of China, Russia and other regional countries.

Under the comprehensive strategic partnership, China and Russia would further strengthen communications and coordinations based on the joint statement on strengthening global strategic stability, signed in June by leaders of the two countries, with a view to protect each other's interests, especially the interest in strategic stability, through the most reliable and effective ways.

Kong and Morgulov also said the two countries would continue pushing forward the settlement of the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula through dialogues and negotiations, in particular the irreplaceable platform of Six Party Talks.

To realize denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, it is necessary to reduce military and political tensions on the peninsula, to downscale the military drills held in the region and thus to build mutual trust, the two officials added.

They also urged both South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to resume dialogues to achieve inter-Korean reconciliation and create a sound environment for development on the Korean Peninsula.

Earlier this month, Seoul and Washington announced the agreement to install one THAAD battery in Seongju, a county some 250 km southeast of the South Korean capital city, by the end of next year, as one way to counter the nuclear and missile threats posed by the DPRK.

China has expressed strong dissatisfaction with and resolute opposition to the THAAD deployment in South Korean territory as it damaged China's security interests and broke a strategic balance in the region, while Russia indicated a military response by deploying a missile unit in the Far Eastern region.