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China denounces US plans to send nuclear ballistic submarine to South Korea
- Beijing says planned deployment of sub and other ‘strategic assets’ to Korean peninsula is result of America’s ‘selfish geopolitical interests’
- The comments come after Seoul and Washington announce declaration reaffirming ‘nuclear umbrella’ to counter threats from Pyongyang
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China denounced the United States’ plan to send a nuclear ballistic missile submarine to South Korea as Washington and Seoul strengthen their alliance to counter pressure from Pyongyang.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday that China firmly opposed the deployment of the nuclear submarine and other “US strategic assets” announced by US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday. Mao added that the decision was the result of the US’ “selfish geopolitical interests”.
“The United States has put regional security at risk and intentionally used the issue of the [Korean] peninsula as an excuse to create tension,” she said in Beijing.
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“What the US does is full of Cold War thinking, provoking bloc confrontation, undermining the nuclear non-proliferation system, damaging the strategic interests of other countries, exacerbating tensions on the Korean peninsula, undermining regional peace and stability, and running counter to the goal of the denuclearisation of the peninsula.”
Mao’s comments came after Yoon’s visit to Washington concluded with a declaration that reaffirmed a “nuclear umbrella” to protect South Korea from threats from the North. According to the declaration, US strategic assets – such as bombers and aircraft carriers – will be deployed to the Korean peninsula more regularly.
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