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 China has repeatedly urged Washington not to take sides in the
escalating maritime dispute over the area, where the Asian giant
last year stepped up its creation of artificial islands, alarming
neighbors and provoking U.S. criticism.
Washington has demanded China halt land reclamation and
militarization of the disputed area and pursue a peaceful resolution
according to international law.
China has been angered by U.S. navy and air force forays through
waters it claims as its own, especially this month, when U.S. Navy
Admiral Scott Swift said he joined a routine surveillance flight.
The United States has also stepped up military contacts, including
drills, with regional allies such as the Philippines, which also has
claims in the South China Sea.
The United States was hyping up the "China threat" and attempting to
sow discord between China and other claimant countries, Defence
Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a news briefing.
 "China is extremely concerned at the United States' pushing of the
militarization of the South China Sea region," he said.
"What they are doing can't help but make people wonder whether they
want nothing better than chaos."
For a long time, the United States had carried out frequent,
widespread, close-in surveillance of China, by sending ships and
aircraft to the region, he added.
"Recently they have further increased military alliances and their
military presence, frequently holding joint drills."
But if certain U.S. officials wanted to take civilian flights over
the South China Sea to "enjoy its beauty", China had no problem with
that, he said.
China's own drills there were a normal part of its routine military
exercises and not aimed at any third party, Yang said.
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But he expressed concern at reports that Filipino fishermen had
found buoys with Chinese markings near the disputed Scarborough
Shoal and towed them back to shore northwest of Manila.
"If these reports are correct, then certain people have elbowed
their way into somebody else's home, and taken others' possessions."
On Thursday, the head of Philippine military, General Hernando
Iriberri, told journalists in Manila it was investigating reports
China had reclaimed three more reefs in the South China Sea as well
as activities in Scarborough Shoal.
The South China Sea is likely to feature prominently at next week's
security meeting in Malaysia, attended by Southeast Asia and Chinese
foreign ministers and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea, but Malaysia, the
Philippines, Vietnam and others have overlapping claims.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING and Manuel Mogato in MANILA;
Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Nick Macfie)
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