BEIJING, Feb. 25 -- The deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an advanced U.S. missile defense system, in the Republic of Korea (ROK) would directly impair China's strategic security interests and undermine global strategic stability.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense made the remarks at a monthly news briefing when responding to recent reports that the United States and the ROK are expected "within a week" to hold the first meeting of a joint working group to discuss the proposed deployment of the THAAD missile defense system.

"We are highly concerned about the possible deployment," spokesperson Wu Qian said, noting that the coverage of the THAAD missile defense system, especially the monitoring scope of its X-Band radar, goes far beyond the defense needs of the Korean Peninsula and reaches into the hinterlands of Asia, which will not only directly damage China's strategic security interests, but also harm global strategic stability.

"We resolutely oppose any country using the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue as an excuse to encroach on China's rights and interests, and the Chinese army will firmly safeguard national security interests," Wu said.