Beijing warned Washington on Wednesday to stop its provocations in the South China Sea and hyping of what it calls China's "militarization" in the region, as reports emerged that the US sent bombers near the Nansha Islands.
Since the second half of 2016, the situation in the South China Sea has been changing for the better, moving from confrontation to cooperation.
Military officials, diplomats and experts from across the Asia-Pacific gathered in Singapore over the weekend for the 17th Asia Security Summit, commonly known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, discussing security challenges and cooperation prospects in the region.
China and the Philippines have agreed to properly manage the maritime disputes through dialogue and negotiation, a statement from a Chinese diplomatic delegation said on Thursday.
The United States' growing penchant for conducting so-called freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea has prompted fears that there might be a head-on clash between the US and China.
China slammed the Pentagon on Thursday for canceling the Chinese military's invitation to the 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, calling the move rash, unconstructive and futile in changing China's determination to protect sovereignty and maintain regional peace and stability.
The Pentagon rescinded its invitation on Wednesday for the Chinese navy to join the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise organized by the US Navy, accusing Beijing of "continued militarization" of the South China Sea.
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