Russia, China in agreement on North Korea, South China Sea

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right gestures next to Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov before they leave after a joint press conference held at the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing, China, Friday, April 29, 2016. AP

BEIJING — The foreign ministers of Russia and China are expressing their joint opposition to the US deployment of an anti-missile system in South Korea and say non-claimants shouldn’t take sides in the dispute over the South China Sea.

Russia’s Sergey Lavrov said in Beijing Friday that North Korea’s actions shouldn’t be taken as a pretext for deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, system. China’s Wang Yi said the security of China and Russia would be directly affected by such a deployment.

On the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely, Lavrov said outside parties shouldn’t interfere, a reference to the United States, which has challenged Beijing’s claims.

Wang says those without direct territorial claims should play a constructive role and not make the situation more complicated.

READ: SOUTH CHINA SEA WATCH: Tussle over plane; Russia backs China