China's Defense Ministry on Friday described the Philippines as a "destroyer of peace" in the South China Sea, saying Manila has no standing to claim it is defending its rights.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Chen Xi said China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and the Nansha Qundao, including Zhongye Dao, Xianbin Jiao and Ren'ai Jiao, and their adjacent waters. "The Philippines' territorial scope does not include these islands and reefs at all, and it has no right to talk about so-called 'safeguarding its own rights and interests,'" Chen said.

Chen was responding to a reporter's question citing Philippine military claims that over 100 Chinese warships and Coast Guard vessels had maintained a regular presence near Zhongye Dao and Xianbin Jiao in September, and that China intended to shake Manila's resolve to defend its rights.

"For some time, the Philippine side has been rallying external forces to stir up troubles in the South China Sea at the expense of the common interests of regional countries," Chen said. "It continues to make provocations violating others' sovereignty and distort facts to spread false narratives, which makes itself a destroyer of peace and a destabilizing factor in the South China Sea."

Chen said China will take resolute and effective measures to deter any sabotaging moves and uphold regional peace and stability.