China has requested the removal of the US counter-sighted shield from South Korea, the day after Washington announced that the anti-missile defense system was operational. At the same time, china welcomed the "positive signals" of US President Donald Trump with reagrds to North Korea.
Beijing has been criticizing the establishment of the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) prototype that Washington announced last year in response to the North Korean nuclear and ballistic program.
The defensive shield is an impediment to the Chinese defensive forces
China emphasizes that this shield covers a portion of its territory and hampers its defensive power. "We are opposed to deploying the THAAD system in South Korea. We are urging the parties to halt this deployment because we will take the necessary measures to defend our interests," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters.
Several hours earlier, Colonel Rob Manning, a US military spokesman in South Korea, announced that THAAD was operational and could intercept North Korean missiles. Another unnamed US spokesman said the system was only in the initial interception capacity.
The Chinese believe that Trump's statements are encouraging
America considers that China, as the country that is most economically and diplomatically aiding North Korea, can influence its policy. Beijing denies that it has so much influence and it regularly highlights that the conflict only concerns Washington and Beijing and that these two sides have to speak.
China "hopes that all sides will be restrained and will not do anything that could trigger tension on the peninsula," Xi Jinping has said this previously.
A Chinese spokesman said that the statements by US President Donald Trump, are very encouraging. Yesterday Trump announced that he is willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
When asked about Donald Trump's statements, Geng said that Beijing was aware of US statements and of the positive signals it contained.
China's new aircraft carrier
China inaugurated its first aircraft carrier of domestic production. The ceremony came at a time of tense relations on the Korean peninsula. The new Chinese aircraft carrier was launched into the sea last week. A new Chinese carrier, whose name is still to be announced, is something bigger than the Liaoning. It weighs around 70,000 tons, it is 315 meters long and 75 meters wide.
