Sanctions threatened as U.S. plans Asia missile deployment

BEIJING — A senior U.S. diplomat says Washington is consulting with its allies as it proceeds with plans to deploy intermediaterange missiles in Asia, a move China says it will respond to with countermeasures.

Washington has said it plans to place such weapons in the AsiaPacific following the U.S. withdrawal from the IntermediateRange Nuclear Forces Treaty.

The U.S. accused the other treaty signatory, Russia, of cheating by developing weapons systems banned under the treaty. However, many analysts say Washington has long sought to deploy intermediate-range missiles to counter China’s growing arsenal.

U.S. mutual defence treaty allies Japan, South Korea and Australia are considered the prime missile base candidates, although Beijing has warned any nation that accepts such an arrangement will face retribution, likely an economic boycott or similar sanctions. Although China maintains a large stock of intermediate-range missiles, it says those are unable to reach the U.S. homeland, while missiles deployed by the U.S. in Asia would be within striking distance of mainland China.

While the U.S. decision to leave the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty has placed the future of arms control agreements in doubt, State Department Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Andrea Thompson said the move had brought a “positive response from partners and allies globally.”