President Obama spoke on the sidelines of an economic summit of Asia Pacific nations and stated that China had to stop claiming land in the South China Sea.

Obama continued by pledging money and naval assistance to the Philippines who are competing with China for the region due to its many resources.

“We discussed the impact of China’s land reclamation and construction activities on regional stability,” Obama said.

“We agree on the need for bold steps to lower tensions, including pledging to halt further reclamation, new construction, and militarization of disputed areas in the South China Sea,” Obama told reporters after a meeting, according to USA Today.

BBC News reports that China’s land reclamation began in late 2013 when they began building islands on reefs. They continue to claim that their actions are legal and they have “no intention to militarise” those islands.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting will discuss the South China Sea dispute. The summit brings together 21 leaders of the Pacific Rim. Smaller countries – including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan – worry that China will dominate the area and its oil and gas resources.

According to Yahoo! News, China responded to President Obama’s remarks by saying the U.S. should not get involved in the South China Sea dispute.

“The United States should stop playing up the South China Sea issue, stop heightening tensions in the South China Sea and stop complicating disputes in the South China Sea,” Hong Lei, a foreign ministry spokesman, said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

“No country has the right to point fingers at” China’s construction activities, he added.

Beijing has claimed nearly all of the South China Sea, including waters near the coasts of other countries.