China urges US, Philippines to withdraw Typhon missile system

China on Friday urged the US and the Philippines to immediately withdraw a US mid-range missile system and never deploy it again, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. The Typhon missile system is "a strategic offensive weapon reminiscent of the Cold War" and should never have been deployed in this region, National Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang told a press conference in Beijing. "Forcing its allies and partners onto the US war chariot will only lead to tensions and confrontation, and undermine regional peace and stability. China firmly opposes this," Zhang was quoted as saying. "We urge the US and the Philippines to respect the aspirations of peoples in the region for peace and development, and do more for regional peace and stability," he said. Earlier this week, the Philippine Army said the Typhon missile system may extend its deployment in the Philippines beyond September, depending on the evaluation of the joint exercise between the US and Philippine armies due in that month. The US Army 's Typhon Medium Range Capability launcher was initially deployed in the Philippines in April for the first phase of their joint exercise. Source: Kuwait News Agency