CCTV from the video point of view, suspected
Dongfeng-21C – Image: news.ifeng.com
What new weapons can China unleash against US
missile shield?
China vows live-fire drills and weapons tests
in response to THAAD deployment in South Korea
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 27 April, 2017, 11:41pm
UPDATED : Friday, 28 April, 2017, 9:58am
China says it will conduct live-fire drills
and test new weapons to safeguard its security in response to the US deployment
of an anti-missile system in South Korea.
Defence ministry spokesman Yang Yujun on
Thursday said that China resolutely opposed the deployment of the Terminal
High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in South Korea, as it would undermine
regional stability.
“The Chinese military will continue to
conduct practical targeted live-fire drills, as well as test new weapons and
equipment, to defend national security and regional peace and stability,” he
said.
Yang’s remarks came amid reports on
Wednesday that the US had started to move parts of the THAAD system to their
deployment site in South Korea.
Beijing-based military analyst Li Jie said
Yang’s comments were meant to remind the US and South Korea that China could
take measures, including “hard and soft kill” weapons, to destroy the THAAD
system.
“China can use its traditional Dongfeng
series short and medium-range missiles as hard-kill weapons in case there is a
war,” Li said. “For soft-kill, it means it’s possible that Beijing may try
using electromagnetic pulse warheads as well as electronic interference
technologies to disrupt the radar system of THAAD.”
Seoul says the anti-missile system is
necessary because of provocations from North Korea.
Yang’s warning came a day after the Chinese
and Russian militaries held their third round of anti-missile briefings in
Moscow. Both sides reiterated their strong opposition to seeing the US THAAD system
in the region.
“The message sent by China and Russia is very
clear, they are joining together to deal with the THAAD deployment,” Li said.
This month, Russian air defence commander
Viktor Gumyonny told media that Russia planned to network its next generation
S-500 surface-to-air missile with its other missile systems as part of an
integrated air-defence network to counter THAAD.
Zhou Chenming of the Knowfar Institute for
Strategic and Defence Studies said the Sino-Russian briefing served to let the
US and South Korea know that the two countries were strong enought to cope with
THAAD, and to warn Japan and Taiwan not to get involved in the US-built defence
network.
Japan is considering becoming the second US
ally in Asia to deploy the THAAD system, citing the nuclear threat from North
Korea.
Beijing is also worried that Taiwanese
President Tsai Ing-wen and her independence-leaning Democratic Progressive
Party might follow in Japan’s footsteps, because the mainland has targeted the
island with more than 2,000 missiles.
Original post: scmp.com
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