Beijing spokesperson on NKorea crisis, India border

published: 2017-09-12 12:59:16(7 Sep 2017) Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Thursday restated China’s opposition to South Korea’s deployment of the U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense System, also known as THAAD, which is intended to protect against North Korean missile attacks. Beijing says the system will be able to monitor flights and missile launches deep inside northeastern China. Two of the system’s launchers are already operational, and the remaining four were added Thursday amid protests by residents living near the site in South Korea. Geng told reporters that China had complained to the U.S. and South Korea and urged them to “take the security concerns and interests of China and other regional countries seriously”. The U.S. and South Korea should “immediately stop the deployment process and withdraw relevant equipment”, Geng said. China’s opposition to THAAD’s deployment has sent formally strong relations with South Korea into a tailspin, cutting deeply into the crucial economic relationship between the sides. As to whether and what additional sanctions could be imposed on North Korea in light of its nuclear test, Geng said China will participate in United Nations Security Council discussions in a “constructive and responsible” manner. On United States President Donald Trump’s discussion on North Korea’s nuclear test with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, Geng said the two sides “are of the same opinion” on the denuclearisation of North Korea. But differences were clear on how best to reach that remote goal as fears escalate over Pyongyang’s emerging capability to strike America with a nuclear-tipped missile. China’s state news agency said Xi expressed China’s adamant position about “resolving the nuclear issue through talks”. Trump noted China’s “essential role” and pledged more communication with China “to find a solution as early as possible”, Xinhua reported. Geng also commented on Indian media reports that quoted India’s army chief as saying the country should be prepared for a two-front war with China flexing its muscles. Gen. Bipin Rawat referred Wednesday to a recent 10-week standoff with the Chinese army in the Himalayas that ended last week. He says the situation could gradually snowball into a larger conflict on India’s northern border.

On the army chief’s comments, Geng called on the Indian military to “do and say something that is in favor of the development of the China-India relationship”.