Deployment of THAAD far exceeds Korean Peninsula's defense needs: Chinese FM

COLOMBO -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Saturday the planned deployment of US?THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea far exceeds the Korean Peninsula's defense needs.

The visiting foreign minister told reporters that China had the reasons and rights to question the behind-the-scenes motives of this move, and any excuse for the deployment would be unjustified.

The United States and South Korea decided on Friday to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea. China said it is "strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes to this."

Wang said the Chinese side had stated its firm stance on this issue, stressing that the United States should not harm other countries' legitimate security interests with the excuse of so-called security threats.

The Chinese top diplomat also called on the South Korean side to be cool-headed and think over what the deployment could actually bring for its security, for the realization of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, as well as for the settlement of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

He urged related parties to act in a cautious and appropriate manner and avoid committing a serious mistake.