The Philippine military will monitor disputed waters in the South China Sea daily where more than 200 vessels from China have been moored.

The Philippine government believes the ships are a maritime militia.

A China military expert told the state-controlled newspaper the Global Times it was a risky move.

The unidentified expert said fishermen from different countries, not just China, normally take shelter in reefs and nearby islands. He said Philippine vessels also take refuge in reefs under Chinese military monitoring.

"Should China also call them a maritime militia without reason," the newspaper quoted the expert saying.

The expert said the Philippines "should act with restraint" and refrain from sending fighter aircraft that could potentially ignite tensions.

The expert said the Philippine light fighter aircraft, believed to be a South Korean FA-50 import, was a threat to fishing boats as it could disrupt fishing activities or "intimidate" crew.

Philippine defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana said this past weekend the military jet was monitoring the situation.

The Philippines earlier said that more than 200 China vessels moored at the Whitsun Reef was a "swarming and threatening presence."

The Whitsun Reef is in the Spratly Islands of the West Philippine Sea and the Philippines claims it as an exclusive economic zone. The reef lies within the country's 200-nautical-mile zone.

Presidential palace representative Harry Roque told reporters late last week the Philippine government believes the dispute should be "resolved under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea."

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in July 2016 ruled unanimously in favor of the Philippines. Beijing does not recognize the ruling.

Also last week, Philippine foreign secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said a protest would be filed only "if the generals tell me."

The Philippine government body that oversees the disputed waters said that the country "enjoys the exclusive right to exploit or conserve any resources" at the Whitsun Reef, which the government calls the Julian Felipe reef.

The Julian Felipe reef is located, more specifically, about 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza town. The said town is a municipality in Palawan.