Chinese FM calls on South Korea to make smart choice on THAAD deployment

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said that the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea is affecting the normal development of the two countries' ties, calling to move the "stumbling block" as soon as possible.

Wang made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha on the sidelines of a string of meetings hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the Philippine capital of Manila.

Wang has urged South Korea to make a smart choice on the THAAD anti-missile system, saying Seoul's security concerns cannot be built on China's insecurity.

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched from Alaska in the US on July 11, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Following the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's two missile launches last month, South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered the four additional missile launchers of the THAAD system to be deployed.

Currently, two launchers have been installed, while the remaining four have been on standby pending an environmental impact review.

China's 'double suspension' proposal

During Sunday's meeting, Wang expressed his hope that South Korea can conduct an opinion survey on China's "double suspension" proposal, although Kang has said it's hard for Seoul to accept the proposal due to security concerns.

Beijing suggested that the DPRK announce the suspension of its nuclear and ballistic missile tests, while the US and South Korea suspend their large-scale joint military exercises. Relevant parties could then follow the dual-track approach of denuclearizing the peninsula on the one hand, and establishing a peace mechanism on the other.

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