News Story: THAAD deployment hurts China-ROK trade ties - spokesman

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in the Republic of Korea (ROK) has affected China-ROK trade, a spokesman with China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

The deployment "seriously harms China's strategic security interests," spokesman Gao Feng said at a press conference.

"[China] hopes the ROK side respects China's major interests and legitimate concerns and properly deals with the issues in question," Gao said.

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Story Quote: "and properly deals with the issues in question"

PacificSentinel: They are properly dealing with the issues in question, by installing THAAD no mater what China thinks, wants, does, or says! What some people completely forget is that money (trade) is secondary to security.

News Story: Seoul dismisses idea of petitioning WTO over China's THAAD retaliation

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's presidential office Thursday dismissed the idea of petitioning the World Trade Organization (WTO) over China's economic retaliation for the deployment of a U.S. missile defense battery here, saying now is the time for joint efforts to rein in an increasingly provocative North Korea.

"We hope to address difficult issues between South Korea and China by further strengthening strategic communication and cooperation," presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun told reporters.

"Now is a very important juncture for maintaining cooperation with China due to North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations," he added.

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News Story: S. Korea closely monitors China's further moves over THAAD deployment

SEOUL/BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign ministry said Thursday that it is keeping close tabs on any possible escalation of retaliation by China against South Korea over its deployment of additional launchers for the U.S. THAAD missile defense system.

Earlier, the defense ministry here announced that the deployment of four launchers for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery, in addition to the two already in operation on a U.S. base in Seongju, 300 kilometers south of Seoul, has been completed. It described it as a "tentative" step to counter the growing threats from North Korea.

China has strongly opposed the THAAD installation, saying it could hurt its strategic security interests. It has taken retaliatory steps against South Korean businesses.

"The government will not make any hasty predictions but will keep a close eye on the situation," Cho June-hyuck, foreign ministry spokesman, told a regular press briefing.

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News Story: Chinese expert warns THAAD deployment will spark regional arms race

JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- A Chinese expert warned Thursday that the ongoing deployment of a U.S. missile defense system to South Korea will likely spark a "vicious cycle" that could lead to a regional arms race.

Jiang Yuechun, head of China Institute of International Studies, still expressed hope that there are still windows of opportunity for the two neighbors to find middle ground and restore strained relations.

Jiang was visiting the southern resort island of Jeju to attend a forum jointly organized by South Korean and Chinese foreign ministries to discuss public diplomacy efforts aimed at boosting exchanges between the two countries.

"It seems that the THAAD deployment in South Korea is almost complete and that it would be difficult to take the decision back," he said. "What could China do in response? It would be inevitable for Beijing to expand investment in its defense capabilities. It would be natural to establish a system to counter the X-band radar."

"Installing the THAAD system would result in an unhappy consequence of creating a vicious cycle that would lead to an arms race involving China, South Korea and other Northeast Asian countries," he added.

Read the full story at YonhapNews