Countries must respect security concerns of others, ministry says

Countries should not only consider their own security interests, but also respect the security concerns of others, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Monday, when requested to comment on a missile interception test that the US and Japan conducted in Hawaii on Friday.

Such issues "involve global strategic stability and trust between major countries, and should be handled cautiously", Lu said.

"Countries should follow the principles of maintaining global strategic stability and undiminished security for all, and work together to create an international security environment that features peace, stability, equality, mutual trust, and win-win cooperation," he said.

The test in Hawaii, overseen by the Missile Defense Agency in the US and Japan's Ministry of Defense on Friday involved intercepting a ballistic missile target, from the USS John Paul Jones, using the Standard Missile-3.

The US has caused concern in countries, including China, with the deployment of an anti-missile system in the Republic of Korea called the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system.

Firmly opposing the deployment, China said it will damage its security interests and the regional strategic balance.

On Monday, Lu reiterated China's opposition: "China's position didn't change, and will not change."