According to the statement, Moscow and Beijing urge all those involved in the system’s deployment to consider the escalation in tensions it would lead to, and to exercise restraint. But the two also reaffirm their commitment to a nuclear-free North Korea, and believe diplomacy should be the way forward.
The statement comes shortly after a Thursday meeting co-chaired by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is to be deployed on a golf course in South Korea, prompting worries from Russia and China about their security being compromised by the anti-missile system’s powerful radar.
One of the concerns the two have with the US system is its radar’s ability to peer into Russian and Chinese territory.
The decision to deploy was first announced in July, promising a system by the end of the year. This led to strong opposition from Russia and China, as well as a 100,000-strong petition by American activists urging the US to reconsider. Reassuring people that the system would “not undermine China’s or Russia’s strategic deterrent,” the Obama administration shot the petition down.
