China urges S. Korea to properly handle THAAD issue

World
Europe

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged South Korea to continue to properly handle the issue of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) during a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha in Beijing on Wednesday.

China and South Korea recently reached some consensus in dealing with the current stage of the THAAD issue, Wang said, adding that Beijing attaches importance to Seoul's pledge that it will not participate in the US-led missile defense networks and that its temporarily installed THAAD system will not harm China's security interests.

Wang urged South Korea to keep its word and continue to properly handle the issue.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha hold talks in Beijing, November 22, 2017. /CGTN Photo

Beijing has repeatedly voiced its opposition to the system's deployment in South Korea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in earlier this month, charting the course for the improvement and development of bilateral relations, Wang said.

He is willing to work with Kang to enhance mutual trust and minimize differences in preparation for high-level exchanges between the two countries in the next stage, Wang told the South Korean foreign minister.

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during an intercept test. /Reuters Photo

Kang's visit to Beijing comes ahead of Moon's planned trip to China in December, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

The US military has already installed a THAAD battery that includes six missile launchers in South Korea's southeastern county of Seongju, but Seoul pledged that no more equipment will be deployed.

"We are not considering any additional THAAD deployment," Kang said on October 30.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Da Nang, Vietnam, November 11, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

During talks with Moon on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Vietnam on November 11, Xi stressed that both sides need to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, maintain political mutual trust and enhance communication and coordination.

Moon said South Korea attaches importance to China's concerns on the THAAD issue and has no intention of harming China's security interests.

6km