China's state-run media raised its pitch against the US today over tensions in the South China Sea, with the Communist Party's top newspaper telling Washington to "Shut up" and accusing it of "fanning flames" of division in the region.

The foreign ministry of China, over the weekend, condemned a US State Department statement that said the territorial disputes in the South China Sea were being closely monitored by Washington. The state department went to say that China's establishment of a military garrison for the area risked "further escalating tensions in the region".

Analysts say the complex pattern of territorial claims in the South China Sea had become Asia's worst potential military flashpoint.

According to Beijing, its disputes with Vietnam, the Philippines and other southeast Asian claimants needed to be settled one-on-one, and US backing for a multilateral approach to solving the overlapping claims were not acceptable.

"We are entirely entitled to shout at the United States, 'Shut up'. How can meddling by other countries be tolerated in matters that are within the scope of Chinese sovereignty?," according to a commentary in the People's Daily, an offshoot of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's top newspaper.

The main, domestic edition of the newspaper taking a similar tough stand, accused Washington of trying to stoke divisions between China and its Asian neighbours.

"Fanning the flames and provoking division, deliberately creating antagonism with China, is not a new game," said a commentary in the People's Daily's domestic edition. "But, of late, Washington has been itching to use this trick."

Analysts point out that the tone of the observations points to the potential for tensions over the issues festering into a wider diplomatic quarrel, even outright military confrontation remained high.

According to the People's Daily, China's "core interests" were at stake in its territorial claims across the South China Sea.

China's foreign ministry said it summoned the deputy chief of mission of the US embassy in Beijing, Robert Wang, and had made "serious representations" about the issue.

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang lashing out at the US said China had absolute sovereignty over much of the sea and its myriad islands, and had every right to set up a city for the region, which it did last month.

China, last month, announced the establishment of a new garrison and city built on several disputed islands in the South China Sea, which have also been claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. The disputed islands are said to have rich oil and gas deposits.