China Defense Mashup China Military News, Photos and Videos
2012-05-29 (China Military News cited from AP) — The defence chiefs of China and the Philippines have agreed to show restraint in their countries’ 2-month-old standoff at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.
China’s Liang Guanglie and the Philippines’ Voltaire Gazmin met on Monday on the sidelines of a meeting of Southeast Asian defense ministers in the Cambodian capital for the first time since tensions flared on April 10.
Mr Gazmin said on Tuesday that the two men agreed that both countries should avoid provocative actions and public statements and keep their lines of communication open.
China and the Philippines have competing claims in the region. The latest standoff began when the Philippine navy accused Chinese boats of poaching at Scarborough Shoal, where both countries claim sovereignty.