KUALA LUMPUR – The United States on Saturday called on China to stop “bullying behavior” in the South China Sea and said it was concerned by reports of China’s “provocative actions” aimed at developing offshore oil and gas in the disputed waters.

Three regional security sources said on Friday that a Chinese government survey ship was tagging an exploration vessel operated by Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas in those waters.

Earlier in the week, when the survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 departed from Vietnam, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said the ship was carrying out normal activities and accused US officials of patching Beijing.

“The United States is concerned with reports of repeated provocative actions by China for the purpose of offshore oil and gas development of other contending states,” the US State Department said in an email statement on Saturday.

“In this instance, (China) should stop its bullying behavior and refrain engaging in this type of provocative and volatile activity,” it said.