"China opposes any military provocation committed by Vietnam as a result of the country's air patrols over China's Nansha Islands," Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Geng Yansheng said here today.
"China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and its adjacent waters, and opposes any military provocation," Geng said.
Nansha islands claimed by China are referred to as Spratly islands in Vietnam. Hanoi recently passed law to assert its sovereignty over the waters.
Just days before the law was passed, Vietnam infuriated China by sending two Russian-made Su-27 fighters to conduct a "patrol flight" over the disputed Spratly Islands.
This prompted China to send four well armed surveillance ships, including one with a helicopter on board as well as its media to patrol the South China Sea, much of it is claimed Beijing.
The scores of islands in the South China Sea over which Beijing lay claim were also claimed by other countries.
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Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan assert many of them formed part of their Exclusive Economic Zone. Whereas China asserts that they were all part of its inherent part of its maritime waters.
Geng said the Chinese military has established a regular patrol system in its territorial waters to safeguard its sovereignty, security and developmental interests.
"The armed forces have the steady resolution and will to safeguard our territorial sovereignty, sea rights and interests," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Geng as saying.
When asked how Chinese armed forces might respond if Vietnamese flights pass over the Chinese city of Sansha in the South China Sea, Geng said the military would take action according to relevant regulations if faced with a situation that could impact the country's security.
"We are firmly against any military provocation," he said.
Geng said China's armed forces shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding the country's territorial sovereignty, sea rights and interests, adding this fact is not directly related to the establishment of the city of Sansha, which exercises administrative control of the islands.