A Chinese military expert defended China's deployment of surface-to-air missiles in its controlled islands in the disputed South China Sea, saying the military move is "completely reasonable" in the wake of the US' powerful maritime presence in the region.

Yin Zhuo, the Chinese military analyst, reacted to the recent announcement of the US intelligence committee last week that China has deployed hundreds of surface-to-air missiles to the disputed waters.

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Earlier, the western media reported that Beijing has deployed more than 500 missiles to several of its controlled and disputed islands in the region, which include CSA-6B, HQ-9 missiles systems, and an anti-ballistic missile interceptor.

Arms Deployments

White House officials said China's arms deployments to several locations in the region were only "temporary," although they are expecting that the missiles would be deployed to the Nansha Islands and Yongxing Island very soon.

Yin said the White House speculations do not make sense at all considering that the US has maintained its powerful presence in the disputed waters such as deploying bombers and aircraft carriers.

The Chinese expert pointed out that the missiles would target neither the US nor the neighboring nations and that these (missiles) would be launched only when Beijing's sovereignty over the islands and reefs in the South China Sea would be challenged.

"Chinese Threat"

Yin pointed to the US as the one who has been jeopardizing the peace and order in the region and not Beijing contrary to the western media's theory of a so-called Chinese threat.

He said that the atmosphere in the South China Sea region has been stable since the holding of the US presidential elections, but this has been challenged every now and then by some countries that want US President-elect Donald Trump to adopt and maintain US President Barack Obama's pivot to Asia.

"China will never give up its core interest in the South China Sea," Yin stressed. "We will maintain peace in the region for as long as it is needed. We, will, however fight back if our sovereignty to the islands are violated." 

Tagssurface-to-air missiles, South China Sea, Chinese military expert Yin Zhuo, Nansha Islands, Yongxing island, 'Chinese threat', china, Beijing, Washington, President Xi Jinping