Jiang Yu, spokeswoman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holds a regular press conference at the ministry in Beijing June 5, 2007. Jiang said the US missile defence system will harm global strategic stability and could give rise to a new proliferation. [fmprc.gov.cn]

Beijing yesterday reiterated its position on the US missile defense system in Northeast Asia, urging all the parties to act with discretion.

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Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said China has always said a missile defense system would impact global strategic stability and could give rise to a new proliferation.

"It's not conducive to the mutual trust between the major powers or regional security," she said at a regular press briefing.

Jiang's remarks comes after a weekend conference on Asian security held in Singapore, during which the US and Japan discussed building a joint missile defense system.

The two countries said the defense shield would be used as a protection against possible missile attacks by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Jiang said the US decision to build a missile defense system in Europe has sparked widespread concern from the international community.

China's position on the missile defense system is consistent irrespective of whether it's built in Europe or Northeast Asia, she said. "We hope all the parties would act with discretion."