THAAD pushes China closer to NK, Russia
By Yi Whan-woo
China is apparently bolstering ties with Russia and North Korea after South Korea and the United States got a step closer this week to deploying a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here, officials and analysts said Thursday.
Seoul and Washington are looking to promptly install the THAAD system as protection against the North’s military threats, while ensuring a trilateral security alliance with Japan.
On Tuesday, China held vice ministerial talks with Russia in Beijing, while North Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Ri Kil-song was also visiting the Chinese capital.
This was the same day the Ministry of Defense signed a land-swap deal with Lotte Group and secured the land for the THAAD battery in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
During a press briefing, Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said both the vice ministerial talks and Ri’s Beijing trip reflect “China’s efforts as a member of East Asia.”
Geng said China and Russia reaffirmed their opposition toward THAAD. The two Cold War allies also agreed to strengthen dialogue and cooperation concerning the U.S. defense missile shield, which they suspect is a means to expand U.S. influence in the region.
Ri received a warm welcome, meeting Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin and Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou, respectively, from Tuesday to Wednesday.
“China will maintain communications and cooperation with East Asian countries and pursue common interests regardless of any meetings, whether it is between us and Ri or between us and Russia,” Geng said. “We’ll work with the related countries to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, keep the region peaceful and stable, and resolve any relevant issues through dialogue.”
Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University, assessed that China is trying to underscore their diplomatic and security ties against South Korea, the U.S. and Japan concerning THAAD.
“A new Cold War would be an exaggeration but it is apparent that China is trying to draw its two Cold War allies to its side at least over THAAD-related issues,” he said, Thursday. “It will also highlight the alliance between South Korea and the U.S. as well as their ties with Japan as part of tactics against THAAD.”
He cited that the Chinese government held both Seoul and Washington responsible for “all problems to be caused in the aftermath” of the land-swap deal and the deployment.
Beijing’s state-run media outlets also have been calling for tougher measures against Seoul in addition to its ongoing economic retaliation.
On Wednesday, the Huanqiu Shibao, which is under the auspices of the Chinese communist party’s official People’s Daily newspaper, published a column that called for a “surgical strike” on the THAAD site.
Written by Luo Yuan, a former rear admiral in the People’s Liberation Navy, the column listed 10 countermeasures against THAAD. They included being uncooperative with South Korea, the U.S. and Japan over international and regional issues; developing a relevant missile system against THAAD’s long-range X band radar; destroying the X-band radar if necessary; strengthening strategic cooperation with Russia; making China’s view official about THAAD at the United Nations; and boycotting Lotte products in China.
Meanwhile, the defense ministers and national security advisers of South Korea and the U.S. reaffirmed Wednesday that THAAD deployment would be completed within this year as scheduled.
During a telephone conversation with Defense Minister Han Min-koo, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said the two allies will pursue the “prompt operation” of THAAD, according to military officials here.
National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin and U.S. National Security Adviser Herbert McMaster talked over the phone separately and agreed to “push ahead with the THAAD plan without setbacks,” according to Cheong Wa Dae.