The U.S. government says its missile defense capability does not serve the purpose of keeping China in check.
The State Department, citing Assistant Secretary for Arms Control Frank Rose, said the U.S. missile defense system aims to defend American territory from attacks involving Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, but doesn′t affect either China or Russia′s deterrence.
Rose added Washington′s Ground-course Missile Defense system, a key part of its defense, is for countering North Korea and Iran′s ICBMs.
The comments come after Beijing expressed strong opposition to Washington′s interest in deploying its hit-to-kill anti-ballistic missile system, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense to the Korean peninsula.
China fears such a move would compromise its strategic security.
