Developing a healthy and stable military-to-military relationship between China and the U.S. is in line with the common interests of both countries and the broad-based expectations of the international community, a Chinese military spokesperson said at a press conference on Thursday.

Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Tan Kefei made the remarks when asked to comment on U.S. Defense Department and military leaders' negative statements on China-related issues.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has recently said China claims sovereignty over the vast majority of the South China Sea, which violates the rights of Southeast Asian countries under international law. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. has hinted it would be "catastrophic" if China overcomes U.S. air superiority by 2035.

Tan expressed firm opposition to the U.S. military's irresponsible and erroneous statements on China-related issues.

Noting China-U.S. military relations have encountered serious difficulties and come to an important historic juncture, the spokesperson said the fundamental cause for the situation is that the U.S. side is obsessed with hegemony, Cold War thinking and zero-sum games.

He accused the U.S. of not accepting, allowing or tolerating China's development and growth and treating China as a strategic adversary and security threat to implement all-round containment and suppression, which seriously damages China's sovereignty, security and development interests.

Tan reiterated that China is committed to the path of peaceful development and pursues a national defense policy.

China has always worked to safeguard world peace, contribute to global development, and preserve international order, Tan said, adding China is the largest troop-contributing country for UN peacekeeping operations among the permanent members of the Security Council.

In terms of South China Sea issues, Tan noted China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters.

"China is committed to resolving the relevant disputes through negotiations and consultations with the countries directly concerned on the basis of respect for historical facts and international law."

The spokesperson also lambasted the U.S., a country outside the region, for flaunting its military power in the South China Sea under the guise of "freedom of navigation."

"We urge the U.S. side to effectively respect China's core interests and major concerns, correct its own erroneous words and actions, and do more things that are conducive to the development of the relations between the two countries and the two militaries," said Tan.

The Chinese military will resolutely defend national sovereignty, security and development interests, and firmly safeguard regional and world peace and stability, he added.