U.S. is South China Sea "troublemaker": military spokesperson

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese military spokesperson on Thursday said the United States has become a "troublemaker" and "accident-maker" in the South China Sea, rather than a "defender" of free navigation and overflight as it has claimed.

The United States has aggravated tension by blatantly sending military ships and aircraft to the South China Sea, said Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, at a press conference.

"Free navigation and overflight have never been a problem in the South China Sea," said Tan.

"We all know that since last year, the U.S. military has caused a submarine collision and an air crash in the South China Sea," said the spokesperson. He added that several severe accidents in other sea areas in recent years also resulted from actions of U.S. military ships and aircraft.

Tan urged the United States to immediately stop its extensive and high-frequency military activities in the South China Sea, which he said should be a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.