Washington plans to deploy medium-range missiles in Asia

SANAA, Aug. 16 (YPA) – Marshall Billingslea, the US special envoy for arms control, said his country is considering the possibility of deploying medium-range missiles in Asia, including Japan, in the future, said Marshall Billingsley, the US president’s special envoy for arms control.

“Countries such as Japan will “need this kind of defensive capability,” he told Japanese Nikkei newspaper.

He also noted the desire of the United States to negotiate with “colleagues and allies in Asia about an imminent threat from China, which is building up its nuclear capabilities, as well as considering  what defense capabilities will be required in the future to protect the allies from such a threat.

“This defensive force is essential for stability in the Asia-Pacific region, which will ensure the protection of our allies, friends and partners, and will ensure that China will not be able to resort to military blackmail,” he said.

The special representative also added that the United States is developing hypersonic weapons in several directions at once.

Earlier, the Japanese press has reported that after withdrawing from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range Missiles (INF Treaty), Washington began consultations with Tokyo on the deployment of new medium-range missiles. Official Tokyo, however, did not confirm these data.

E.M