Final answer:
The group of islands in the Pacific near China that was controlled by Spain before it came under American control is the Philippines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The group of islands in the Pacific near China that was controlled by Spain before it came under American control is the Philippines. After the Spanish-American War of 1898, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States. The United States then governed the Philippines as a U.S. territory until the Philippines gained independence.