MANILA - Malacañang officials on Tuesday refused to comment on the reported swarming of Chinese vessels swarming the West Philippine Sea, weeks before President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s state visit to China.

New Palace press briefer Daphne Paez did not acknowledge succeeding media queries, but thanked the Malacañang Press Corps for her first briefing.

• Chinese vessels seen in parts of West Philippine Sea: military

Palace Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil was also quiet about the developments but told journalists at the sidelines of the press briefing that they would find a statement.

She also gave the same assurance to the press on the death of Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison. Sison's death in Netherlands was announced by his group on Saturday (Philippine time).

Earlier in the day, the US Department of State supported the country's calls for China to adhere to international law following its fishing vessels' reported presence in the West Philippine Sea.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Dec. 15 confirmed that the military saw the vessels near Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal, which are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The US state department urged Beijing in a statement to "respect the international law of the sea in the South China Sea, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and its legal obligations pursuant to the 2016 arbitral ruling."

"The reported escalating swarms of PRC vessels in the vicinity of Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands interfere with the livelihoods of Philippine fishing communities, and also reflect continuing disregard for other South China Sea claimants and states lawfully operating in the region," said Ned Price, the US State Department's spokesperson.

"The United States stands with our ally, the Philippines, in upholding the rules-based international order and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as guaranteed under international law," he added.

Manila is locked in a maritime dispute with Beijing amid the latter's incursions in the country's waters in the South China Sea, which is believed to be rich in natural gas deposits.

China has ignored a 2016 decision by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration that declared its historical claim to be without basis.

Marcos had said he would "find ways to work to resolve the conflicts that we have" with China during his meeting with its top diplomat Wang Yi at the beginning of his administration.

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