This New US Missile System Keeps Getting China Hot Under the Collar – And It’s Only Getting Bigger!

The tension between the United States and China continues to escalate in the Indo-Pacific region, as the US deploys a powerful new missile system that has drawn repeated objections from Beijing. The introduction of the Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system, also known as Typhon, has sparked growing concerns among Chinese officials, who see the system as a significant threat to regional stability.

In April, the US military stationed the MRC in the Philippines, marking the first overseas deployment of this versatile weapon. The Typhon system is capable of launching Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, which are both highly advanced and capable of reaching long distances. US officials view the deployment as a major step in enhancing military cooperation with the Philippines and bolstering defense capabilities in the region. According to US Army Pacific, it’s a “landmark deployment” that strengthens “interoperability, readiness, and defense capabilities” with the host nation.

While the Typhon system wasn’t fired during joint exercises between the US and Philippine military, its mere presence has provoked a strong reaction from China. Beijing immediately demanded the system’s removal, claiming it destabilizes the region.

Chinese officials have voiced their displeasure with the deployment several times in recent months, including two objections in just the last week. “China has made clear our opposition more than once,” stated Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, during a recent press briefing. He warned that the US was “hellbent” on boosting its military investments in the Pacific, adding that the presence of Typhon “gravely threatens regional countries’ security, incites geopolitical confrontation, and has aroused high vigilance and concerns of countries in the region.”

Despite Beijing’s protests, the US has no intention of removing the missile system from the Philippines. In fact, there are indications that the Philippines, which has not called for its removal, is even interested in acquiring mid-range weapons of its own and training on the American Typhon system.

Adding to China’s frustration, the US is reportedly discussing plans to deploy Typhon in Japan as well. Secretary of the Army Christine Warmouth mentioned during a Defense News conference on September 4 that these discussions are ongoing, sparking fears in Beijing of further missile placements in close proximity to Chinese territory. Lin emphasized that if Typhon is deployed in Japan, it will “heighten arms race, exacerbate regional tensions, threaten peace and security in this region, and disrupt global strategic balance and stability.”

China’s objections are rooted in concerns that the new missile system could tip the regional power balance. The Chinese military’s Rocket Force already possesses a large stockpile of medium- and intermediate-range missiles, many of which can reach US bases in the region. With Typhon in play, US forces are gaining a powerful countermeasure.

The MRC’s deployment comes in the wake of the US’s withdrawal from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a Cold War-era arms control agreement that banned ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. The treaty collapsed in 2019 after the US accused Russia of violating its terms by developing and deploying the SSC-8/9M729 missile system. Moscow’s actions prompted Washington to exit the treaty, opening the door for the development and deployment of new missile systems like Typhon.

Russia’s violation of the INF Treaty and the US’s subsequent military developments have sparked fears of a renewed arms race. Not only is Typhon being deployed in the Pacific, but there are also plans to introduce new long-range strike weapons in Europe. In July, the US and its NATO allies announced they were moving forward with efforts to deploy these weapons after seeing their effectiveness during the war in Ukraine.

As tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific, the deployment of Typhon is becoming a flashpoint in US-China relations. The system’s presence in the Philippines has already provoked a strong reaction from Beijing, and its possible deployment in Japan could inflame tensions even further. Whether this leads to a broader arms race or new diplomatic negotiations remains to be seen, but for now, the US shows no signs of backing down.