China’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Yang Yujun said Tuesday that the recent incidents in the South China Sea are just ‘old tricks’ used to create tensions and disrupt the reputation of Chinese armed forces.
The Chinese Navy has dealt with the inspection operations of US warships and aircraft in Chinese territory around the South China Sea for a long time now, said Yujun during the press conference.
"Our responses are always necessary, legal and professional," he said, Chinese media reports.
Only last week, a US aircraft ignored repeated warnings from the Chinese military to fly a reconnaissance mission over the islands.
"We cannot rule out the possibility that a certain country is looking for an excuse to support future operations," he said. "This is not something new. It is an old trick," said Yujun, media reports.
The purpose of this coverage, according to him, was to discredit the Navy and play up regional tensions.
