Six Chinese warships, including a guided-missile destroyer, have been operating in the Middle East since last week, which included a joint exercise with Oman's navy, media reported.
"The fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy set sail for escort mission and is paying friendly visits to relevant countries," Liu said in a statement. "The relevant parties should respect the facts and stop groundless hyping."
According to media reports, the Chinese navy has been involved in routine deployments to the Middle East since May, particularly to conduct escort missions for shipping.
Meanwhile, the United States is deploying the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf amid an escalation of attacks on US forces in the region by Iran's "proxy forces." Moreover, the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group is positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean to serve as a deterrent to any third parties that might consider joining the conflict against Israel, according to the Pentagon.
The US Defense Department did not immediately respond to Sputnik's request for comment about the deployment of Chinese warships in the Middle East.