US Ambassador Tries to Address Beijing’s Concerns Over THAAD Deployment

© Flickr / Mark HollowayThe US Army's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor, coming soon to South Korea.
The US Army's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor, coming soon to South Korea. - Sputnik International
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US Ambassador to China Max Baucus met with his counterparts in Beijing about the decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system to South Korea, US Department of State spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, local media reported that Washington and Seoul reached an agreement on the deployment of THAAD to protect South Korea from North Korea's nuclear and ballistic threats.

"Ambassador Bacchus did have a meeting with his Chinese counterparts about this," Kirby stated. "We’ve made very clear that because of the ongoing continued threat by the North [Korea] that this was a capability we would be exploring with our South Korean allies."

Lockheed Martin shows the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD missile being launched from a mobile launcher at Kauai's Pacific Missile Range Facility - Sputnik International
China Slams US-South Korea Decision to Deploy THAAD Air Defense System
The United States, Kirby noted, has provided Chinese officials with informational briefings on how the THAAD system works to ally their concerns.

Kirby also claimed that the THAAD system is purely defensive in nature and there should be no reason for growing mistrust with China.

The US Army's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor, coming soon to South Korea. - Sputnik International
Russia Could Deploy Missiles in East in Response to US THAAD in Korea
On Friday, the deputy chair of the Russian upper house of Parliament’s Arms Committee said Moscow will consider deploying its own missile units in the area.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the agreement to deploy the THAAD missile system will have a highly negative impact on global stability.

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