China's defense ministry has said it is aware of a US aircraft carrier strike group in the waters. The US navy said the strike group, including aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, began "routine operations" in the South China Sea on Saturday. Defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang said China hopes the US will respect the sovereign and security concerns of countries in the region; and said good military relations between China and the US are in interests of both, and well as of the region and the world. The spokesperson also responded to US critics who expressed concern about the construction of man-made islands in the South China Sea.

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and the

adjacent waters. China has every right to conduct and strengthen its necessary defense

infrastructure according to the security situation around China. This is the right of a

sovereign state. We hope the US can truly respect the sovereign and security

concerns of the regional countries, and truly respect their efforts made on maintaining

regional peace and stability," Ren said,