China consistently opposes THAAD deployment: MOD
- By Chen Boyuan
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E-mail China.org.cn, February 24, 2017
China remains constant and clear in its opposition against the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) deployment in South Korea, deeming that the joint action by Washington and Seoul will jeopardize the strategic security interests of China and Russia, among other neighboring countries.
![Col. Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, takes questions from media at a routine press conference on Feb. 23, 2017. [Photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20170224/b8aeed990a581a1a051f03.jpg "Col. Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, takes questions from media at a routine press conference on Feb. 23, 2017. [Photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn]") |
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Col. Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, takes questions from media at a routine press conference on Feb. 23, 2017. [Photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn] |
Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MOD) said on Thursday at a routine press conference that the THAAD deployment would break "regional strategic equilibrium." He said that the PLA will make necessary preparations and has the determination to safeguard the country's safety.
Recent media reports show that the United States has also been keen to sell THAAD to Taiwan, an allegation denied by the Taiwanese military. But this rumor has prompted Chinese mainland military experts to say that possible THAAD deployment in Taiwan would create the condition for the mainland's "armed unification" of China.
Col. Ren noted that the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council PRC has made an official response to this disturbance in cross-Straits relations. He reiterated that issues concerning Taiwan matter of China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"We resolutely oppose any form of official communications and military contacts between China's Taiwan and the United States," he said.
The THAAD issue fundamentally reflects the U.S.’ intention to expand its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region so as to contain China and Russia, under the pretext of shielding South Korea from missile and nuclear threats.
The Chinese government has on many occasions expressed its hopes of solving the Korean Peninsula crisis through political measures and is actively observing the UN Resolution to sanction Pyongyang.
Col. Ren clarified rumors claiming that the PLA was sending a 1,000-man military unit to reinforce China's border with North Korea in the wake of the fatal attack on Kim Jong-nam, the elder half-brother of DPRK's supreme leader Kim Jong-um, deeming such comments as "sheer fabrications."
