US caution urged over missile move

"The US should not always attempt to contract out the problems to China." Fu Ying, NPC foreign affairs chief

As one of the most advanced missile defense systems in the world, THAAD can intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the Earth's atmosphere during their final phase of flight.

Early on Feb 2, Russia's Ambassador to the ROK Alexander Timonin opposed the possible deployment of the THAAD system.

Zhao Xiaozhuo, a researcher at the Center on China-America Defense Relations at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said the THAAD system mainly targets long-range missiles and has nothing to do with intercepting short-range ones launched by the DPRK.

The US system can launch and intercept missiles, which will sabotage strategic stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Such a deployment will damage "the already fragile strategic stability" of the US with China and Russia, Zhao added.

Liang Fang, a professor of naval studies at the PLA National Defense University, said the foreign minister was sending a message that China was not letting the situation rest and "may resort to any available means".

Meanwhile, Agence France-Presse cited US Forces Korea as saying in a media statement on Saturday that Washington had temporarily deployed an additional Patriot missile battery in the ROK.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn