BEIJING, July 9 – China is firmly opposed to United States’ groundless accusation about China’s military training in South China Sea, Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson of China's Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.

Ren made the remarks when asked by reporters for comments on U.S. Defense Department’s news release on July 2 which alleged that China’s actions will destabilize the situation in the South China Sea.

Recently, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted military training in waters off China’s Xisha Islands, and the Chinese side released news about the training on June 27, Ren said, adding that the training is a routine arrangement within the PLA’s annual training plan for the purpose of effectively enhancing the Chinese military’s maritime defense capability so as to safeguard national sovereignty and security and protect regional peace and stability.

The training was not targeting any specific country and object, said Ren.

By ignoring the facts and calling white black, the U.S. Defense Department is sowing discord among countries in the region and attempts to make benefits from it, we are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to the behavior of the U.S. side, Ren said.

Thanks to joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the current situation in South China Sea is generally stable, Ren said. However the U.S. has been flexing its muscles and making provocations by dispatching its advanced military planes and vessels to the South China Sea, where the U.S. military conducted ‘navigation hegemony’ operations for many times, which threatens regional security and stability, Ren said.

He pointed out that the U.S. is the biggest pushing hands of militarization of the South China Sea and running counter to the peace-loving efforts and wishes of countries in this region.

Ren stated that China is committed to building an Asian community with a shared future and developing a friendly and cooperative relationship based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit with countries in the region.

We hope the U.S. side will make self-reflection, stop its provocative military actions in the South China Sea and its groundless accusation against China and stop sowing discord among countries in the region and creating tensions, Ren stressed.