China opposes deployment of US missile system in Japan

China said it firmly opposes the United States' deployment of intermediate-range missile systems in Asian countries on Friday, following reports that the US military plans to deploy the Typhon missile system at the Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, for joint US-Japan drills from June to September.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China has noted the relevant reports and has repeatedly expressed its concerns over the issue.

The Typhon missile system is a strategic offensive weapon that undermines the legitimate security interests of other countries, threatens regional strategic security, and heightens the risk of military confrontation and an arms race, Guo said at a daily news briefing.

Such a move will bring nothing but harm to regional peace and stability, he said.

Guo noted that people in many Asian countries, including Japan, have long voiced opposition to such deployments.

China urges the US and Japan to heed the concerns of regional countries, correct their course, and take concrete actions that contribute positively to regional peace and stability, he said.

The planned deployment is also further evidence of Japan's accelerated remilitarization, Guo said.

Various signs show that Japanese right-wing forces are seeking an overall restructuring of Japan's military capabilities and preparing for so-called "long-term warfare", he said.

In essence, such moves hollow out the restrictions imposed by Japan's Constitution, international and domestic laws and regulations, challenge the postwar international order, and run counter to Japan's self-proclaimed image as a "peaceful country", Guo added.

Japan's neo-militarism is becoming a growing source of danger and could once again become a root cause of regional turmoil, he said, urging the international community to draw lessons from history, remain highly vigilant, and work together to contain it.