Off-season supply, offensive weapons, and the Typhoon mid-range capability missile system
Michael Horlick, MPM, M Ed., PMP
Educator, Ethicist, and Incurable Idealist
Terms to note from today’s PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs press conference:
Today’s quote:
关于美国在菲律宾部署中导，中方已多次阐明了坚决反对的严正立场。我想再次强调，菲方引入中导系统这一战略性、进攻性武器，是配合域外势力制造地区紧张对立、挑动地缘对抗和军备竞赛的挑衅和危险举动，是对本国和东南亚各国人民、历史和地区安全极不负责任的选择。本地区需要和平与繁荣，不需要中导和对抗。我们再次敦促菲方正视地区国家和人民呼声，尽早纠正错误做法，按此前公开承诺尽快撤走“堤丰”中导系统，不要在错误的道路上越走越远。?
On the US deployment of Mid-Range Capability missile system in the Philippines, China has made clear our opposition more than once. Let me stress again that the Philippines, by bringing in this offensive strategic weapon, is enabling a country outside the region to fuel tensions and antagonism in this region, and incite geopolitical confrontation and arms race. Such a move is provocative and dangerous, and it is an extremely irresponsible choice to its own people and people of all Southeast Asian countries, to history, and to regional security. What the region needs is peace and prosperity, not the missile system or confrontation. We once again urge the Philippines to heed the call from regional countries and their peoples, correct its wrongdoings as soon as possible, quickly pull out the Typhon missile system as publicly pledged, and stop going further down the wrong path.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on November 14, 2024)?
Previous PRC history of the term:
?? 今年4月，美方将“堤丰”中导系统运抵菲律宾。这是冷战结束以来，美国首次在海外和亚太地区部署中程导弹，也是美国2019年退出《中导条约》后首次部署此类战略武器。一个核大国把进攻性战略武器部署在其他国家门口，严重破坏地区和平稳定，损害他国正当安全利益，同各国人民谋和平、促发展的愿望背道而驰。中方坚决反对美国以任何方式在亚太地区包括菲律宾部署陆基中导。希望有关各方认识到这一问题的高度敏感性和危害性，反对美方在本地区推高对立对抗、挑动军备竞赛的图谋和行径，共同致力于维护本地区安全和稳定。?
The US transported the Typhon Mid-Range Capability missile system to the Philippines this April [2024]. It was the first time the US deployed Mid-Range Capability missile system outside its territory and in the Asia-Pacific since the end of the Cold War. It was also the first time the US deployed strategic weapon of this kind after it withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019. The deployment of offensive strategic weapon at other countries’ doorstep by a nuclear power seriously disrupts regional peace and stability, undermines other countries’ legitimate security interest, and contravenes people’s aspiration for peace and development. China firmly opposes the US’s deployment of the land-based Mid-Range Capability missile system in the Asia-Pacific, including the Philippines, whatever its form. We hope that relevant parties will see the high sensitivity and harm of this issue, oppose the US’s attempt and move to heighten antagonism and confrontation and stoke arms race in the region, and jointly uphold the security and stability of the region.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on October 11, 2024)?
?? 据报道，菲律宾武装部队发言人4日表示，美军正将美菲在“肩并肩”年度联合军演中使用的美方设备自菲撤出。按计划，目前在菲部署的“堤丰”陆基中导系统将于9月甚至更早时间运走。菲军已接受“堤丰”系统使用维护指导，但未在实弹演习中运用。?
The Philippine Army spokesperson said on July 4 [2024] that the US Army is currently in the process of shipping out their equipment used during the annual Balikatan exercise. The land-based Mid-Range Capability missile system, known as “Typhon,” deployed in the Philippines will be shipped out by September as planned, possibly even earlier. While Philippine troops were trained on how to handle and maintain the Typhon missile system, it was not employed in live-fire training.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on July 5, 2024)?
?? 据报道，美军近期将“堤丰”发射系统运抵菲律宾参加联合军演。?
The US military recently deployed the Typhon Mid-Range Capability missile system to the Philippines for joint exercises.? (Regular Press Conference of the Ministry of National Defense on May 30, 2024)?
?? 据报道，美国太平洋陆军日前宣布，作为与菲律宾军方联合军事演习的一部分，美国已在菲吕宋岛部署“堤丰”中程导弹发射系统。此系美退出《中程导弹条约》后首次部署地面发射型导弹装置。?
US Army Pacific announced a few days ago that the US has deployed the Mid-Range Capability missile system, also known as Typhon, to Luzon, the Philippines, as part of their joint military exercise. This is the first time that the US deployed a land-based, ground-launched system after it withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on April 18, 2024)
新世纪以来，中拉货物贸易额增速远高于同期拉美和加勒比同世界其他地区增速，凸显了中拉经济的高度互补性。得益于反季节优势，距离中国最远的智利成为中国第二大鲜果进口来源国，智利车厘子成为中国的明星水果。中国新能源产业链也为拉方绿色发展转型提供更加经济可及的解决方案。目前，中国在拉美已有5个自贸伙伴，同洪都拉斯签署了自贸协定早期收获安排，同秘鲁实质性完成自贸协定升级谈判。?
Since the beginning of the new century, the region’s trade in goods with China has grown at a much faster rate than that with the world, underlying the highly complementary nature of the economies of both sides. Due to the advantage of providing off-season supply, Chile, which is farthest from China in this region, has become China’s second largest source of fresh fruit imports and Chilean cherries are now star products here in China. Also, China’s new energy industrial chain offers a more affordable resolution for the region’s green transformation. So far, China has five free trade partners in the region and has signed an early harvest arrangement of free trade agreement with Honduras and concluded substantial negotiations to upgrade the free trade agreement with Peru.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on November 14, 2024)
Today’s quote:
关于美国在菲律宾部署中导，中方已多次阐明了坚决反对的严正立场。我想再次强调，菲方引入中导系统这一战略性、进攻性武器，是配合域外势力制造地区紧张对立、挑动地缘对抗和军备竞赛的挑衅和危险举动，是对本国和东南亚各国人民、历史和地区安全极不负责任的选择。本地区需要和平与繁荣，不需要中导和对抗。我们再次敦促菲方正视地区国家和人民呼声，尽早纠正错误做法，按此前公开承诺尽快撤走“堤丰”中导系统，不要在错误的道路上越走越远。?
On the US deployment of Mid-Range Capability missile system in the Philippines, China has made clear our opposition more than once. Let me stress again that the Philippines, by bringing in this offensive strategic weapon, is enabling a country outside the region to fuel tensions and antagonism in this region, and incite geopolitical confrontation and arms race. Such a move is provocative and dangerous, and it is an extremely irresponsible choice to its own people and people of all Southeast Asian countries, to history, and to regional security. What the region needs is peace and prosperity, not the missile system or confrontation. We once again urge the Philippines to heed the call from regional countries and their peoples, correct its wrongdoings as soon as possible, quickly pull out the Typhon missile system as publicly pledged, and stop going further down the wrong path.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on November 14, 2024)?
Previous PRC history of the term:
?? 波音防务、空间与安全集团，通用原子航空系统公司，通用动力陆地系统公司屡次对台销售导弹、军用无人机、坦克等进攻性武器，以此纵容支持“台独”分裂势力，严重损害中国国家安全，严重损害中国国家主权和领土完整，严重违背一个中国原则和中美三个联合公报规定，严重破坏台海和平稳定。?
Boeing Defense, Space & Security, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems have repeatedly sold missiles, military drones, tanks and other offensive weapons to Taiwan, thereby conniving and supporting the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, seriously undermining China's national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, gravely violating the One-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, and seriously undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.? (Ministry of Commerce Regular Press Conference_May 23, 2024)?
?? 日方近年来违背和平宪法精神，突破“专守防卫”原则，大力发展对外进攻性武器，同时散布虚假叙事和挑衅言论，借所谓“中国威胁”不断拉帮结派搞“小圈子”，中方对此坚决反对。?
In recent years, Japan has taken moves that violate its own Pacifist Constitution and "exclusively defense-oriented policy. It has vigorously developed offensive weapons, spread false narratives and provocative remarks, and built up small-group alliances under the pretext of so-called "China threat". The Chinese side is firmly opposed to these acts.? (Regular Press Conference of China's Ministry of National Defense on January 25, 2024)?
互利共赢是中拉关系发展的价值取向。正如联合国拉加经委会报告显示，近年来中拉货物贸易额持续扩大，去年达到4890亿美元。今年前三季度，中拉货物贸易额达到4274亿美元，同比增长7.7%，全年有望突破5000亿美元。?
Mutual benefit and win-win results are the overarching principle for the growth of the relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean. Just as the report of ECLAC indicates, the trade volume between China and LAC countries has kept increasing in recent years, which reached US$489 billion last year. In the first three quarters this year, trade in goods between both sides hit US$427.4 billion, up by 7.7 percent year on year, and the total amount for the whole year is expected to exceed US$500 billion.? (Foreign Ministry Regular Press Conference on November 14, 2024)
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