China's Ministry of National Defense says the deployment of necessary defensive military equipment on the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea is both legitimate and lawful.

The comment comes in response to a Wednesday report issued by a US think tank, claiming that China has installed weapons on the islands.

Beijing has repeatedly reminded the US that it has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha islands and their adjacent seas.

The Ministry added that most construction on the islands is for civilian use, and that the necessary military equipment is deployed for defense purposes.