China is willing to hold defense-related dialogue and develop cooperation with the Republic of Korea on the basis of mutually respecting each other's security interests, the Ministry of Defense said on Monday.

The comments came following this year's disruption of high-level China-ROK defense talks as a result of the ROK's decision to deploy the US' Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system.

The dialogue, held between officials at the vice-defense-minister level, was put on hold, according to Yonhap News Agency.