The presence of large numbers of Chinese vessels near islands and islets occupied by the Philippines is "a concern," a senior US defense official said on Friday. The Philippine government protested the Chinese ship movements on Thursday after its military monitored more than 200 Chinese vessels from January to March in a disputed area named Sandy Cay, which is near the Philippine-occupied island of Pag-asa. Asked about the situation while on a visit to Bangkok, Joseph Felter, deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia, told reporters that the United States was troubled "by any aggressive activity by any country in the South China Sea."

Chinese boats near PH isles a concern-US envoy. (2017, April 6). Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A6.