China threatens the US after Donald Trump sends THAAD missile system and weapons to South Korea
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang promises country will take all 'necessary measures' to protect itself
CHINA has said it will take measures against the US missile system deployed in South Korea - with Washington and Seoul bearing the consequences.
The US military began deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) defence system to the country yesterday.
The first elements of the shield arrived by plane, with US military chiefs saying it would help protect against the growing missile threat from North Korea.
Admiral Harry Harris, head of the US Pacific Command, said: “Continued provocative actions by North Korea – to include yesterday's launch of multiple missiles – only confirm the prudence of our alliance decision last year to deploy THAAD to South Korea.”
But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a briefing today that China "firmly opposes" the deployment.
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Geng said China will "definitely be taking necessary measures to safeguard our own security interest".
And he added that "all consequences" resulting from that will be borne by the US and South Korea.
Despite the threats, the equipment necessary for the sophisticated defence system continued to arrive today - a day after North Korea test-launched four ballistic missiles into the ocean.
Kim Jong-un was pictured grinning and laughing maniacally as he watched the weapons test through a pair of binoculars.
He clapped his hands gleefully as four missiles were fired – with three landing provocatively close to Japan, in waters that are part of its exclusive economic zone.
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe called the exercise a “new stage of threat” in the already tense region.
The missiles were launched in an apparent protest against ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States.
But the rogue state has long been trying to develop missiles capable of striking far away targets - along with nuclear warheads for them to carry.
In separate phone calls, Donald Trump reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad commitment" to Japan and South Korea after the provocative exercise.
A further statement from the White House warned Pyongyang of "very dire consequences" for its actions.
And the US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said on Twitter the world "won't allow" North Korea to continue on its "destructive path".
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