Beijing officially stated that the reports of China deploying a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile near the Russian border was just "speculation spread online." The missile is said aimed to reach targets in the United States.
"What you mentioned is a speculation spread online," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying when he was asked by a Russian journalist about the reports.
She added: "We attach great importance to the development of China-Russia relationship. Our relationship is developing at a high level with a deepening mutual trust. We would like to further exchange our cooperation in different fields."
The TUSS Russian news agency reported that the DF-41 ballistic missiles have been deployed in the northeastern Heilongjiang Province which is situated near the Russian border.
Konstantin Sivkov, the president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, said: "China has deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles near Russia with the aim to be able to reach targets in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
"This is an intercontinental class missile with an effective range of 10,000 to 12000 kilometers. The missile's dead zone is no less than three thousand kilometers. A large territory of Russia, practically the entire Far East and West Siberia are not within the missile's reach."
Sivkov added that the deployment was China's response to threats pronounced by the new U.S. president, Donald Trump. Also, Chinese missiles would be able to use a more advantageous northern strategic route for approaching targets in the United States, thus bypassing the U.S. missile defense.
Russia moved closer to China strategically under the previous administration of Obama. Recent reports indicated. however, that Russia may warm up to the U.S. as current president Donald Trump disassociated himself from Obama's policy.
Trump is looking forward to pursuing a soft line toward Moscow, which may affect the ties between Russia and China.