Chinese FM stresses THAAD opposition during talks with S.Korea opposition

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday reiterated China’s opposition to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system, while meeting with a delegation of the opposition Minjoo Party of Korea.

China understands the needs of South Korea to safeguard its country and its people’s security, said Wang. "What the Chinese side is opposed to is the unilateral push for the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) that will harm China's strategic security interests," he added.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks with a delegation of the opposition Minjoo Party of Korea in Beijing, China on Jan.4, 2017. /CFP Photo

Wang further expressed his hope that the two sides can find a proper solution through talks and negotiations, so that cooperation between the two sides in various fields will not be affected.

China and South Korea are close neighbors. The people of the two countries have benefited greatly from the all-around development of bilateral ties, Wang noted. “The two sides should cherish the hard-won results, enhance mutual trust, remove obstacles and ensure the sound development of bilateral ties,” the minister stressed.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks with a delegation of the opposition Minjoo Party of Korea in Beijing, China on Jan.4, 2017. /CFP Photo

Responding to Wang, Song Young-gil, the leader of the delegation and also former mayor of Incheon, said that his party highly values the relationship between the two countries.

It has been 25 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations, and ties between the two sides are facing challenges because of THAAD, Song said, adding that the Minjoo Party of Korea stands ready to work more actively to help overcome this difficulty and advance bilateral ties.

File photo of THAAD /Xinhua Photo

In July last year, South Korea and the US announced their plan to install THAAD by May 2017 in the southern county of Seongju, 296 kilometers southeast of the capital Seoul. The decision led to strong opposition from both home and abroad.

Large numbers of South Koreans rallied against the risky move for weeks following the announcement.

South Koreans in Seoul shout slogans protesting against plans to deploy THAAD on July 21, 2016. /CFP Photo‍

China has been consistently vocal in its opposition to THAAD, saying it seriously damages the strategic balance in the region and harms the strategic security interests of relevant regional countries. Beijing has warned Seoul that the THAAD deployment would allow US military radar to seep into Chinese territory.

According to a report by South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday, the country will still press ahead with THAAD's deployment.

(With inputs from Xinhua News Agency)

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