The head of the U.S. Pacific Command Harry Harris has denied accusations that the decision to send a U.S. Navy warship USS Lassen to sail near isles claimed by China in the South China Sea last week was an attempt to provoke Beijing.

In a talk with Stanford University students studying at Peking University, Harris said the U.S. navy's position regarding China's sovereignty claims in the South China Sea is not meant to be a military threat.

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Harris is on his first visit to the Chinese capital as commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

The U.S. Commander is a vocal critics of Beijing's actions in the South China Sea. In March, he revealed the extent of China's construction of military facilities on reefs and islands which are being contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, and other neighboring nations.

Harris said that China "is creating a great wall of sand" in a bid to militarize reefs and artificial islands in the South China Sea notwithstanding the competing claims of several countries.

Despite an exchange of accusations between Beijing and the U.S. recently, Harris told the students that he is optimistic in his assessment of improving relations with Beijing.

Chinese ships and aircraft last week warned and tracked the U.S. warship when it sailed close to reefs being claimed by China in contested waters in the South China Sea.

The Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai, said the U.S. operations in the disputed maritime territory is a "serious provocation politically and militarily."

Following the incident, China summoned Mac Bauchus, the  US Ambassador to China, to express "strong discontent" over the freedom of navigation patrol.

Cui said the decision of U.S. authorities to send a warship to the area is an obvious attempt to militarize the region.

Cui pointed out that the U.S. is hypocritical as it continues to send ships and warships in the area and at the same time accuses China of militarizing the South China Sea.

"It is a very absurd and even hypocritical position to ask others not to militarize the region while one's self is sending military vessels there so frequently," he said.

TagsUS warship, military threat, US Pacific Command