Beijing on Monday dismissed as "irresponsible" US criticism of its construction of an artificial island reportedly large enough for an airstrip in a disputed section of the South China Sea.

The statement by China's foreign ministry came after a US military spokesman urged Beijing to stop what it described as a vast land reclamation project on the Spratly Islands.

The island chain, which the Chinese call Nansha, is also claimed in whole or part by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

"External forces have no right to make irresponsible remarks," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a briefing when asked about Washington's comments.

"The construction activities China is undertaking are for the improvement of the working and living conditions of the island-stationed personnel, so that they can better fulfil their international obligations and responsibilities in search and rescue."

A report last week by IHS Jane's Defence revealed new details of a land reclamation project China is undertaking on Fiery Cross Reef, known as Yongshu in Chinese.

Beijing claims nearly all of the resource-rich South China Sea, while Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have their own claims, several of them also building structures on reefs or occupying islands.

According to the report, the artificial island is 3,000 metres (9,842 feet) long and 200-300 metres wide, one of several reclamation projects being pursued by China in the region but apparently the first that could accommodate an airstrip.

A harbour has been dug out on the east side of the reef that appears large enough for tankers and naval warships, it said.

Days after the report, US military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Pool called on China and other governments to cease such construction.

Reiterating Washington's stance, a State Department spokesman on Monday said "large-scale construction... would seem to complicate or escalate the situation in our view."

"The Chinese government can speak for themselves, but we would urge China as well as all the claimants of the South China Sea to be transparent about their activities in disputed areas," Jeffrey Rathke told reporters.

Outspoken People's Liberation Army Major General Luo Yuan defended the project, which he called "completely legitimate and justifiable" in an interview with the state-run Global Times newspaper.

"The US is obviously biased considering that the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam have already set up military facilities," Luo was quoted as saying.

In a separate editorial, the newspaper contended that China was building on the reef "mainly to improve the living standards of the reef-stationed soldiers."

"China's construction on the Yongshu Reef will not be affected by US words," the paper wrote.

"The Yongshu Reef is becoming a big island, which shows China's prominent construction capabilities."

Philippines reviews blacklisting of Hong Kong journalists
Manila (AFP) Nov 24, 2014 - The Philippines will review its entry ban on nine Hong Kong journalists who shouted questions at President Benigno Aquino during a summit in Indonesia last year, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Monday.

Journalist groups have expressed concern at the blacklisting, which threatens to sour ties that Hong Kong and the Philippines have been trying to repair since eight Hong Kong tourists were killed in Manila in 2010.

"The journalists' issue will be reviewed," del Rosario told AFP, when asked if Manila would reconsider the ban.

The reporters had their credentials withdrawn after they shouted questions at the Philippine leader during an APEC summit in Indonesia last year, and are currently unable to enter the Philippines for any reason.

They were blacklisted over "acts committed against the president during a summit in Bali, Indonesia", Bureau of Immigration spokeswoman Elaine Tan said on Saturday without naming the nine.

Quoting intelligence officials, Tan said the journalists were a "threat to public safety".

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines said the blacklisting sent a "chilling message".

"If the government's intelligence agency does not like the way you ask questions, you may be labelled a public safety threat and blacklisted from the Philippines," the group said.

Hong Kong newspapers reported that nine journalists from Now TV, RTHK and Commercial Radio have been banned ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be hosted by the Philippines next year.

But Philippine Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said his office has not started the accreditation process for journalists covering next year's APEC summit.

Coloma reiterated that any blacklist could be reconsidered since there had been no repeat of the incident during the recent APEC summit in Beijing.

Relations between the Philippines and Hong Kong were strained for years after Hong Kong tourists held hostage by a rogue Filipino policeman in Manila were killed in a botched rescue attempt.

The two governments announced in April that they had resolved the bitter row.