WASHINGTON — China moved Tuesday to ease its conflict with Southeast Asian neighbors over its territorial claims, releasing Vietnamese fishermen jailed for working in disputed waters and softening its language at a meeting of defense ministers.
The moves suggested Beijing is rethinking its aggressive assertion of claims over disputed waters and islands, which has heightened tensions with its neighbors.
At a meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, with defense ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Chinese officials avoided their previous declarations that the South China Sea is a “core interest.” The phrase has been interpreted as a sign that Beijing would not yield on its claims in the resource-rich sea. Six countries assert sovereignty over portions the waters.
