BEIJING - China has reiterated its opposition to the installation of a US missile defence system in South Korea, demanding on Wednesday (Sept 6) that deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (Thaad) battery should be immediately halted.

"China is seriously concerned," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a regular news briefing, asserting that Thaad would only undermine the regional strategic balance, harm regional security interests - including China's - and increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"China demands that the US and the ROK respect the security interests and concerns of China and other regional countries, with an immediate stop to the deployment process and removal of the equipment," the spokesperson said, referring to the Republic of Korea (ROK), the official name for South Korea.