China has accused Japan of tarnishing China’s image and ratcheting up tension, saying it runs against efforts to improve Sino-Japanese ties.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks in response to the Japanese allegation that China’s use of fire-control radar to lock on to a Japanese fleet in East China Sea amounted to "threat of force".

Hua said at a regular briefing that Chinese authorities are verifying and investigating the incident. Hua Chunying stressed Japan is intentionally stirring up a crisis and causing tensions.

Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of Chinese Foreign Ministry, said, "The problem at present is not China showing strength, but Japan continuously sending its ships and aircraft into the waters and airspace around the Diaoyu Islands to carry out illegal activities, damaging and infringing China’s territorial sovereignty. Recently Japan has been intentionally stirring up a crisis and causing tensions, blackening China’s image. This is diametrically the opposite of efforts to improve relations."