Canberra must not undertake any action that endangers regional peace and stability, Beijing said, as the Australian foreign minister began a visit to China.

An objective and fair attitude must be adopted by the Australians (towards the South China Sea issue) and they must not do anything that harms peace and stability in the region, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said on Tuesday.

Hong made the remarks in response to Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's comments "questioning China's island reclamation in the South China Sea".

Before visiting China, Bishop said in Tokyo that Australia supported the Philippines' tribunal efforts and she will ask for clarification from Beijing about its intentions on the islands.

"Given that President Xi has said that China does not intend to militarize the islands then of course we ask what the construction work on the islands will be used for," Bishop told reporters in Tokyo, where she met Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

"In the past Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said they will be public goods, so I am seeking more detail as to how other nations could access these public goods," Bishop said of the islands.

"Depending upon the answer he gives, we will look at the situation," she said.

The Australians should not avoid the fact that the Philippines initiated arbitration unilaterally and this is not in accordance with international law, and it also violates the consensus reached by the Philippines and China as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, Hong said.

Emphasizing China's construction on the islands is mainly for providing public goods to the international community to facilitate maritime search and rescue, protect fishing activities as well as deliver emergency medical treatment, Hong made it clear that he believes that the international community will have the chance to use these facilities when they are ready.

Hong also said that China's necessary homeland defense facilities on its own territory are covered by international law, and the construction will not affect the freedom of navigation and aviation in the South China Sea.

Reuters contributed to this story