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China has accused the United States of escalating military tensions in the region following the recent deployment of a powerful missile launcher in the Philippines capable of firing weapons with a range of up to 1,600 kilometers, CNN reported on Monday.
The US Army's Mid-Range Capability (MRC) ground-based missile system, also known as the Typhon system, has been deployed to the Indo-Pacific theater for the first time. This deployment comes amidst a series of US-Philippine military exercises, including the largest-ever edition of the annual bilateral Balikatan drills. The Typhon system is capable of firing the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6), a ballistic missile defence munition with a range of 370 kilometers, and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, a cruise missile with a range of 1,600 kilometers, according to the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). According to the CNN report, the deployment has raised concerns in Beijing, with China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian accusing the US of seeking a "unilateral military advantage." During a regular news briefing last week, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian accused the US of seeking a "unilateral military advantage," and underscored Beijing's strong opposition to the deployment. "We urge the US to earnestly respect other countries' security concerns, stop stoking military confrontation, stop undermining peace and stability in the region, and take concrete actions to reduce strategic risks," Lin said. The US Army is calling the deployment, which began April 11 for the Salaknib exercise, a "landmark" in its regional capability. Analysts believe the deployment sends a signal that the US can put offensive weaponry within striking distance of Chinese installations in the South China Sea, southern Chinese mainland, and along the Taiwan Strait. The deployment began on April 11 for the Salaknib exercise, which the U.S. Army has called a "landmark" in its regional capability. The duration of the Typhon system's stay in the Philippines has not been disclosed. The diplomatic tensions come as attendees from 29 countries, including the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, gather for a two-day Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Qingdao, China, CNN reported. The attendees will discuss maritime peace, maritime order based on maritime security cooperation and international laws, and global maritime governance, according to the Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency. The US and the Philippines have accused China of ignoring these rules with aggressive actions in the South China Sea, where Chinese actions have resulted in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to vessels. The 1951 mutual defence treaty between the US and the Philippines stipulates that both sides would help defend each other if either were attacked by a third party. In response to the gathering, US Adm. Stephen Koehler commented, "I think it's a great opportunity for all navies to get together and discuss all the issues." (ANI)
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