MANILA/SHANGHAI -- The defense ministers of China and the Philippines met in Manila on Friday, vowing "to avoid misunderstanding" amid tensions in the disputed South China Sea.
After low-key visits to Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei this week, Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe arrived in the Philippine capital without much fanfare and with limited public statements, in contrast to the recent East Asia Summit, where Beijing struck a more confrontational tone.
