"Don’t deploy missiles to Asia-Pacific region" - China to US

China’s reaction followed US Defence Secretary Mark Esper statement that the US was now free to deploy the weapons following its withdrawal last week from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty with Russia.

China warned Tuesday it would take some unspecified countermeasures if the United States goes ahead with plans to deploy ground-based missiles in the Asia-Pacific region.

“China will not stand idly by and will be forced to take countermeasures should the US deploy intermediate-range ground-based missiles in this part of the world,” said Fu Cong, the director of arms control at the Chinese foreign ministry.

“And we also call on our neighbours, our neighbouring countries, to exercise prudence and not to allow a US deployment of its intermediate-range missiles on (their) territory,” he added, naming Australia, Japan and South Korea.

“That would not serve the national security interest of these countries,” he said. 

Fu said it was important to recognise the US is proposing to install the weapons at China’s “doorstep”.

“Especially for a country that has experienced the Cuban missile crisis, I think the American people should understand China’s feelings.”

Australia on Monday ruled out the possibility of the missiles being deployed on its soil, saying Canberra had not even been asked to host them.

The INF treaty was considered a cornerstone of the global arms control architecture but the United States said the bilateral pact had given other countries — namely China — free rein to develop their own long-range missiles.

Esper, the new Pentagon chief, said Saturday that Washington would like to deploy the missiles “sooner rather than later,” speaking to reporters on a plane to Sydney at the start of a week-long tour of Asia.

 “I would prefer months… But these things tend to take longer than you expect.”