China has expressed concern over the annual military exercises involving the United States, the Philippines and Japan, stressing that what the Asia-Pacific region needs most is peace and stability, not the introduction of external forces that create division and confrontation.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular news conference in Beijing on Monday as the US and the Philippines were beginning their drills, with other parties including Japanese forces also participating.

Guo said that military and security cooperation between countries should not undermine mutual understanding and trust among nations in the region, disrupt regional peace and stability, or target or harm the interests of any third party.

"We would like to remind the relevant countries not to blindly bind themselves together in security arrangements, which may lead to playing with fire and backfiring on themselves," the spokesman said.