Beijing, China - A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry has warned the US and Japan against "creating imaginary enemies" after the two countries criticized Beijing's behavior in the South China Sea.

The comments followed discussions between the US and Japan over the weekend, which saw the two nations launch scathing criticisms of China and announcing a major upgrade to the US-Japan security arrangement.

On Sunday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced a major "historic" upgrade to the command of American troops in Japan, primarily as a way to counteract the perceived threat of China in the region.

"We continue to see the PRC engaging in coercive behavior and trying to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas, around Taiwan, and throughout the region," Austin said in a statement in Tokyo alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa.

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"These efforts will improve our ability to deter and manage coercive and destabilizing behavior... Our commitment to Japan’s defense is unwavering, and that includes extended deterrence by providing the full range of our conventional and nuclear capabilities."

The upgrade will include increased nuclear deterrence and additional security measures. Japan is already home to 54,000 American troops as well as a vast assortment of aircraft.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who has accused the US of intensifying "its efforts to contain and suppress China."

In a statement from Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, Beijing took aim at Austin's comments around Taiwan and the South China Sea, AFP reports.

According to the spokesperson, the statement "crudely meddles in China's internal affairs, maliciously attacks and smears China on maritime issues, makes thoughtless remarks on China's normal military development and defense policy, exaggerates and kicks up a fuss about the China threat, and maliciously hypes up regional tensions."

Spokesperson Lin Jian went on to say that Japan and the US were attacking Chinese foreign policy and that their statement "disregards facts."

"We strongly urge the US and Japan to immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs and stop creating imaginary enemies," the spokesperson said.