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July 4, 2017

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Xi calls for THAAD to be canceled

THE US deployment of an advanced anti-missile system in South Korea gravely harms the strategic security interests of China, Russia and other countries in the region, President Xi Jinping said.

In an interview with Russian media published yesterday, Xi pointed out that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) installation jeopardizes the strategic balance in the region and is unhelpful to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and maintaining regional peace and stability.

China and Russia have kept close communication and coordination at various levels on the issue, and hold very similar views on its essence and damage, said Xi, whose country has unequivocally rejected the move.

He said Beijing and Moscow are steadfastly opposed to the THAAD deployment and its installation should be canceled.

The two countries, he said, will take necessary measures, jointly or individually, to safeguard their national security interests and the regional strategic balance.

On the Korean Peninsula issue, Xi said his country is committed to denuclearizing the peninsula, safeguarding its peace and stability, and settling the question through dialogue and consultation.

To solve what is a long-standing and complicated issue, China has proposed a dual-track approach of advancing denuclearization and establishing a peace mechanism in parallel.

Meanwhile, Beijing has also put forward a suspension-for-suspension proposal that requires Pyongyang to suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the suspension of large-scale US-South Korean military exercises. Russia has supported China’s proposals, and more positive responses are coming from the international community, Xi said.

China, he added, hopes other parties involved in the Korean Peninsula issue will join China and Russia’s push for talks, take up their respective responsibilities, and place the issue on the right track of dialogue and consultation toward a negotiated settlement as soon as possible.

Xi arrived in Moscow yesterday for a state visit to Russia, his second since taking office in 2013, to be followed by one to Germany, where he will attend the upcoming summit of the Group of 20 major economies.

In a speech released on his arrival, Xi noted that the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination is at its best in history. Xi said the two countries, both supporters of each other’s interests, have engaged in aligning the China-proposed Belt and Road initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union.

Beijing and Moscow, faced with a complicated international situation, have played their due role in promoting win-win cooperation in international relations, and securing regional and global peace and stability, he said.

“This is my sixth tour to Russia since assuming office,” Xi said, adding that he was looking forward to an in-depth exchange of views with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

“One needs good partners to walk with, and good neighbors to live with,” he said.

Xi and Putin have met each other 22 times in five consecutive years. In an apparent gesture to support the Xi-proposed initiative, Putin came to Beijing in May to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

During Xi’s visit, the two sides will sign agreements in trade, economy, investment, connectivity, media and education.

Last year, the two countries managed to reverse a declining trend in bilateral trade, achieving a 2.2 percent growth to reach US$69.5 billion. In the first five months of this year, trade volume increased by 26 percent to US$32.4 billion. China remains Russia’s largest trading partner, and Russia China’s major exporter of cutting-edge machinery.




 

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