As Seoul announced on Wednesday it was considering deploying the THAAD advance missile defense system, Beijing responded that "hopefully relevant countries will act cautiously and properly to tackle the issue".

Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye, after delivering her new year address on Wednesday, told a news conference in the ROK capital that Seoul will review allowing US forces to deploy the THAAD advance missile defense system for national security reasons, the Seoul-based Yonhap news agency reported.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news conference in Beijing that China's position regarding the anti-missile issue is "consistent and clear".

"As one country seeks its own security, it must consider the security interests of other countries as well as the peace and stability of the region," Hong said.

Hong said currently "the Korean peninsula situation is of great sensitivity", and the relevant countries, hopefully, will serve the big picture of ensuring regional peace and stability, and cautiously and properly tackle the issue.