US, Singapore prepare Poseidon spy plane over South China Sea tensions

The United States and Singapore are joining forces in an effort to respond to China's pursuit of territorial claims in the South China Sea. Defence staff from both countries confirmed that there will be further deployments in light of the tension. These efforts include sending the Poseidon spy plane over the region.

The US entered into an agreement with Singapore over the deployment of the US P8 Poseidon spy plane in the latter's region this month. This is part of the countries’ response to China over its continuous efforts in the South China Sea. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen met in Washington on Monday.

The two officials also said in a joint statement the welcoming and inaugural deployment of the aircraft in Singapore from December 7 to 14. This is the first of many deployments that should be expected in light of China's assertive moves in the disputed region, according to a US defence official via The Guardian.

China will likely be angered by the deployment following its previous warnings to the country not to resort to more military actions. China has been claiming the majority of the energy-rich waters. Trillions of dollars pass through the maritime region per year, thus the interest over it. The United States has backed up countries like the Philippines and Japan over the tensions. It has been operating P8s from Japan and the Philippines, including surveillance flights from Malaysia.

“The aircraft’s deployment would promote greater interoperability with regional militaries through participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises, while providing timely support for regional HADR and maritime security efforts," revealed the statement released via the US Department of Defense official website.

There has been growing concern among world leaders and political analysts across the globe over the tensions in the South China Sea. Countries are appearing more willing to engage in military exercises and displays in hopes of keeping each other at bay. China refused to accept any third party resolutions or arbitrations made in light of the territorial conflict.

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