BEIJING - China's Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday said that a recent People's Liberation Army (PLA) operation in south China was a routine drill.

Media reports have speculated that a large buildup of PLA troops in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region along the Vietnam-China border could be related to the recent tensions over the South China Sea.

A statement published on the frontpage of the ministry's website, www.mod.gov.cn, said that the PLA's Guangzhou Military Area Command had conducted an annual routine drill in the region and the media should not leap to speculations.