Philippine-US national security advisers discuss and share concerns about the activities of more than 200 Chinese ships in the South China Sea.

According to a statement from the White House about a joint discussion between the two countries' national security advisers on March 31, the Philippines described the presence of more than 200 Chinese ships in the reef near Vietnam's Sinh Ton Dong island.

The Philippines believes that this fleet is controlled by the Chinese maritime militia.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during a meeting at the White House on 4/2.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and the Philippines Hermogenes Esperon colleague has "agreed that the US and the Philippines will continue to work closely to respond to the East Sea's challenges," the White House emphasized.

"Sullivan asserted that the United States always stands side by side with its Philippine ally in maintaining the law-based international maritime order and reaffirms the possibility of applying the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) in the South China Sea".

The MDT treaty was signed by the two countries in 1951, providing the US with an obligation to help out if the Philippines was under armed attack and vice versa.

After more than three weeks of illegally anchored near Sinh Ton Dong Island, belonging to the Spratlys of Vietnam and met with strong reactions from stakeholders, about 210 Chinese ships sailed away the reefs and other islands.

Before that, the Philippines has dispatched warships, marine police ships, and patrol aircraft to monitor the Chinese fleet.

During the press conference on March 25, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang asked Chinese ships to stop violating the territorial waters of Sinh Ton Dong island in the Spratly archipelago of Vietnam.

The Chinese fleet is anchored at a rocky beach near Vietnam's Sinh Ton Dong island.