Chinese Ambassador Qiu Guohong’s protestations during a meeting at the National Assembly, Tuesday, against the introduction of an advanced U.S. anti-ballistic missile defense system to Korea were completely out of line for two reasons. With Qiu’s consent, the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea relayed his message to the local press saying that Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment “could destroy bilateral relations in an instant.” He also reportedly said that Korea’s own national security may be jeopardized. First, blurting out a verbal threat at Korea’s legislature shows a complete disregard for the Korean people. Second, it is a severe breach of diplomatic protocol for an envoy to speak in a manner that illustrates encroachment on his or her resident country’s sovereignty.
We strongly disapprove of Beijing’s brazen push toward Seoul and Washington to drop their THAAD plan and urge its diplomatic officials to speak with caution regarding Korea’s national security decisions. Seoul should make it clear that it will not tolerate inappropriate outside interference in internal affairs. In this context, Cheong Wa Dae responded in a timely way by telling Beijing, Wednesday, in a statement that THAAD is a matter to be decided in accordance with our security and national interests. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should also speak up on Beijing’s impudence and clearly explain Korea’s rationale for the decision to enter negotiations with the United States to China.
China says that the long-range radar system of a THAAD battery could be used to monitor its military activities and potentially target its missiles. Beijing also argues that an additional military asset would aggravate military tensions in East Asia. All of these concerns are understandable from the Chinese perspective, but this still does not give Beijing the right to force its neighbor to sacrifice self-defense strategies for the sake of its own national interest. Beijing’s stance is self-contradictory considering its own defense mechanisms in the South China Sea. It has deployed surface-to-air missiles on parts of the contested Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, and reportedly has long-range radar facilities close to the Korean Peninsula that can track military targets in Korea. Many experts see these moves as hurting the security interests of China’s neighbors, especially Korea.
It is the responsible course of action for Beijing to recognize that the only reason that THAAD is being considered is because of the need to deter growing military threats from North Korea. Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 and a missile test a month later have given Korea and the U.S. justification to start considering THAAD deployment. As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said after his meeting in Washington, D.C. with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Tuesday, there is no need to deploy THAAD if “we get denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula. Instead of being a bystander on the issue, China should wield its influence over North Korea and encourage it to abandon its nuclear program rather than making cursory statements urging relevant parties to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue.