It is quite easy to understand the reason for China’s vehement opposition to South Korea’s decision to deploy the America-made Thaad missile defence system. A country like China which is known for its enormous antagonistic and imperialist tendencies will always seek to undermine any attempts by other countries to exercise their right to self-defence.
The particular manner in which China, in collaboration with North Korea, continues to attack the deployment of the Thaad system by South Korea indicates a strong resentment towards a genuine and legitimate effort by a sovereign country to set up an effective self-defence system. By going ahead to not only issue a threat to South Korean companies but also suspend charter flights and the importation of some vital products from there, China has gone to the extreme in displaying hostility against the country.
It is even this kind of hostility that continuously re-enforces the need for South Korea to introduce a strong measure of self-defence.
China’s consistent support for the rival North Korea provides the basis and justification for the South Korea not only develop apprehension but also imitate a move that could avert any possible missile attack on its territory.
Clearly, China fears that the installation of the Thaad facility will make the monitoring of its missile sites possible thereby reducing the security risks to which South Korea is continuously being exposed. It is also a strategy that could ensure effective connection between America’s system and Japan’s which can serve a s reliable instrument for the containment of the undue and illegitimate hegemony of China and North Korea over South Korea.
What is however particularly interesting is the fact that the installation of the facility has become a major presidential campaign issue in South Korea.
Certainly, even with the resolve of both China and North Korea to adopt “unspecified military and diplomatic countermeasures” South Korea and its allies are not likely to discard an initiative which appears to be a strong guarantee against possible missile raids.
Although the controversy over the deployment of the Thaad system still ranges which makes it absolutely difficult to predict how it will end, the statement by a certain senior Chinese diplomat as reported by a South Korean local media that the country should “prepare for measures approximating the severing of diplomatic ties in the event that Thaad is deployed”, is indicative of the possibility of the occurrence of a row between the two countries.
This means that the situation is most likely to degenerate and escalate to the extent that it will become a colossal diplomatic issue.
Meanwhile, the nature and the rapid rate at which it degenerates have constituted a source of concern for the peace-loving people of the world.
This is even amplified by the America’s assurance that the deployment of the Thaad system is unstoppable and pledge of support in this regard by both North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Britain.
What is therefore now most desirable is for China to have a re-think over its vehement opposition to a move that is both legitimate and central to the security system of a sovereign nation. It is in fact required to, at this stage, show enough sensitivity to the genuine concern of the people of the world over the security and peace that we all desperately need.
Shu’aibu Gimi
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