Russia, China unite against U.S. THAAD despite North’s test

Special to WorldTribune.com

By EastAsiaIntel.com

On April 29, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi issued a joint statement objecting to the contemplated deployment in South Korea of the U.S. Theater High Altitude Area Defense [THAAD] missile interceptor system.

Ballistic missile believed to have been launched from underwater near Sinpo, off northeastern North Korea. / Yonhap
Ballistic missile believed to have been launched from underwater near Sinpo, off northeastern North Korea. / Yonhap

But what is unusual is that the joint Russian-Chinese objection to THAAD came less than 24 hours after North Korea recklessly conducted a test launch of ballistic missile, the very threat that justified the THAAD deployment.

The stronger opponent to THAAD is not China but Russia.

Moscow has been most vigorously opposed to the American missile project in South Korea because Moscow fears the THAAD-associated X-band early warning radar will fundamentally reduce Russia’s ballistic missile deterrence.

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