CHINA urged the United States to cease bolstering and endorsing the alleged 'provocations' of the Philippines in the disputed territories in the South China Sea (SCS).

In a statement posted on the Chinese Embassy website Friday night, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said that Beijing's message was conveyed by Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu in a phone conversation with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, where the two sides had a 'candid and in-depth exchange of views' on the current China-US relations and issues of mutual interest.