US military officials have assured China they are under no threat from South Korea’s decision to deploy a USA anti-missile defense system.
Advertisement
North Korea charged the United States with fabricating the facts surrounding the North Korean ax murders that took place in the demilitarized zone 40 years ago.
During a discussion at the Brookings Institution CIA Director John Brennan said that the deployment of THAAD to the region was an “obligation” on behalf of the US.
Gen. Mark A. Milley, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, is now in China even as tensions remain at unsafe levels over the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile missile system in South Korea and China’s refusal to heed an global tribunal’s decision nullifying its claim to own the South China Sea.
“We do not really want to have an arms race escalate between the two countries, particularly when the United States, North Korea and China are all nuclear-armed nations”, he concluded.
“Milley, confirm the validity of the USA commitment to stick on to global rules and standards and encouraged the Chinese to do the same as a way to reduce regional tensions”.
Milley’s visit also comes amid friction following an global arbitration panel’s ruling last month that invalidated China’s claim to virtually the entire South China Sea.
China’s Defence Ministry quoted Gen Li as saying that THAAD, the South China Sea and Taiwan were all issues Beijing hoped Washington would pay attention to and “handle appropriately”.
Tensions have also spiked in recent days between China and Japan over a chain of uninhabited islands controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing.
The Army said Gen. Mark A. Milley was due to meet Tuesday with his Chinese counterpart and other senior People’s Liberation Army leaders to find ways to work on cooperation while handling differences.
Milley will visit the USA army soldiers and meet with Korean military leaders.
According to Pyongyang, the incident involved USA forces “pushing forward” South Korean “puppet guards” who “screamed in the direction of [North Korean] soldiers” then assumed “combat-ready positions”.
Advertisement
Be proactive – Use the “Flag as Inappropriate” link at the upper right corner of each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
