BEIJING, May 23 -- China on Friday urged Japan to stop provocation after Japanese leader Shinzo Abe said China's "unilateral drilling" created tensions in the South China Sea.

"We urge Japan to stop all provocative comments and acts and take practical action to safeguard regional peace and stability," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a daily news briefing.

Hong's comments came a day after Abe said in a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam that he is concerned about tension created by China's "unilateral drilling" and Japan will provide patrol vessels to Vietnam.

"The Japanese statement neglects reality and confuses the facts. It is politically motivated interference in the situation in the South China Sea for an opaque purpose," Hong said.

According to a Thursday statement by Hong, Since May 2, Vietnam has made continued and illegal forceful interferences into the legitimate operations of Chinese business at sea under Chinese jurisdiction, infringing upon China's sovereignty and seriously influencing navigation freedom and regional peace and stability.