China bristles at US Army’s Typhon missile launcher in Japan

MANILA, Philippines — China criticized the U.S. Army’s move to deploy the Typhon missile launcher in Japan this week, warning it increases the risk of military confrontation and undermines regional security interests.

The reaction comes after the U.S. Army officially unveiled the mid-range missile system in Japan during annual bilateral exercise Resolute Dragon. This year’s iteration is the largest to date, with more than 19,000 American and Japanese troops.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday that the Asian deployment of the launchers “undermines the legitimate security interests of other countries, fuels the risk of a regional arms race and military confrontation, and poses a substantial threat to regional strategic security.”

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