China welcomes foreign companies investing in the country and will always respect and protect their rights and interests, but their operation should be in compliance with laws and regulations, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Feb 28.

Spokesman Geng Shuang made the comment in response to a question regarding whether China would take punitive measures against the Lotte Group of the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Geng said the success of a foreign corporation in China depended on the decisions of the Chinese market and consumers.

He reiterated China’s firm resolve in opposing the deployment of the THAAD missile system in the ROK, urging relevant parties to face China’s interests and concerns, stop the deployment process and refrain from going too far down the wrong path.

China has recently made two solemn representations to the ROK regarding the issue, he added.

He said relevant parties should be very clear about the Chinese people’s opposition to the deployment of the THAAD system, and have taken notice of the voice of the Chinese people.

Lotte Group, ROK’s fifth-largest conglomerate, decided Monday to offer its golf course to be used as a site for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

A ROK Defense Ministry official told Xinhua that the contract to exchange military land for the Lotte-owned golf course was formally signed earlier on Feb 28.