China will continue to stage live-fire drills and test new weapons to protect its national security, the Defense Ministry says. It comes after the deployment of the US THAAD anti-missile system to South Korea, to which Beijing is “resolutely opposed.” “The deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea damages the regional strategic balance and stability. The Chinese side is resolutely opposed to this,” Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told reporters on Thursday, when asked about the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
“China’s military will continue to carry out live-fire military exercises and test new military equipment in order to firmly safeguard national security and regional peace and stability,” he said, as quoted by Reuters. Beijing has long spoken out against THAAD over fears it will undermine its own deterrence capabilities. A March editorial in the state-run Global Times newspaper said Washington should “pay the price” for the deployment of the system, which it said was “on China’s front door.” READ MORE
