Li Shanfu commented on the rapprochement of a Chinese warship and a US Navy destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, which almost led to their collision.
He noted that Beijing sees no problems in ensuring freedom of navigation and innocent passage of foreign ships in this water area, but attempts to use this freedom of navigation and innocent passages "as a pretext for hegemony in navigation" should be prevented.
"As Minister of Defense, every day I see a lot of information about foreign warships and aircraft entering areas adjacent to our territory. And they are not here for peaceful passage, they are here for provocations," RIA Novosti quoted the minister as saying.
Earlier, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said that recently Washington has been recording "dangerous maneuvers" made by Chinese military aircraft against US aircraft and their allies.
Also, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken complained about the behavior of the Chinese military in relation to US reconnaissance aircraft.