国内英语新闻:THAAD deployment in ROK is strategic issue instead of technical matter: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday reiterated its opposition to the deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an advanced U.S. missile defense system, in the Republic of Korea (ROK).

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Tuesday he hoped China would accept the offer to attend a technical briefing on the new missile defense system the United States wants to deploy in the ROK.

The deployment is no simple technical matter, it relates to the strategic issue of peace and stability in Northeast Asia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told a daily news briefing.

Hong said the THAAD missile defense system goes far beyond the defense needs of the Korean Peninsula, which will not only threat China's proper national security interests, but also harm regional strategic stability.

China hopes relevant countries can act with prudence and do more to benefit regional peace and stability, Hong said.