Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday asserted that holding military drills in the South China Sea is within the country's sovereignty and reasonable, rebuking U.S. accusation that the move destabilizes the situation in the region. 

Earlier on Thursday, the U.S. Defense Department expressed concern about China holding military exercises in the South China Sea, saying the move will further destabilize the situation in the disputed waters. It also accused China of militarizing the South China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian reiterated Beijing's position that the Xisha Islands are China's inherent territory. "Some countries outside the region often travel thousands of miles to the South China Sea to engage in large-scale military activities, and show off their power, which is the fundamental reason that affects the stability in the South China Sea," Zhao said.

(Cover: The Jinqing Island of Yongle Islands, located in the Xisha Islands, in south China's Hainan Province. /Xinhua)