The White House called on China Wednesday to drop its objections to the U.S. deploying an anti-missile defense system in South Korea, following North Korea’s launch of a missile from a submarine.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said deployment of a new Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in South Korea shouldn’t “impair” China’s willingness to exert more pressure on North Korea to stop its nuclear belligerence.
“We’ve made clear that this is a defense missile — a ballistic missile defense system that would be oriented toward the threat in North Korea, and that’s why we don’t believe it should be a subject of concern of the Chinese,” Mr. Earnest said. “But they’ve indicated otherwise.”
The U.S. Strategic Command detected and tracked a KN-11 ballistic missile launched from a North Korean submarine Tuesday afternoon, Washington time. The missile was tracked over the Sea of Japan about 300 miles off the coast of North Korea; officials said it posed no threat to the U.S.
The launch from the submarine came two days after South Korea and the U.S. began annual military exercises in the South that North Korea condemns as a preparation for invasion, and has threatened retaliation.
Beijing is Pyongyang’s main ally but has joined past U.N. Security Council resolutions against the North. It has been angered by what it views as provocative moves by the United States and South Korea, including their July decision to base the THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea.
China opposes North Korea’s nuclear and missile program as well as any words or deeds that cause tension on the Korean peninsula, its foreign minister, Wang Yi, said on Wednesday at previously scheduled meeting with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Tokyo.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry condemned the launch and warned of more sanctions and isolation for its rival that “will only speed up its self-destruction.”
“This poses a grave threat to Japan’s security, and is an unforgivable act that damages regional peace and stability markedly,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters, adding that Japan had lodged a stern protest.
Mr. Earnest said the administration, over the past year, has been able “to work more effectively with the Chinese government to apply additional pressure to the North Korean regime.”
“Ultimately, China has their own vested interest in seeing North Korea cease and desist from these kinds of destabilizing actions and it’s on the basis of their own self-interest that we believe we can work together to apply additional pressure to North Korea and try and change the dynamic there,” he said.
• This story is based in part on wire service reports.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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