Regional stabilitySingapore sits on the western approaches to the South China Sea. China has claimed almost the entire 1.3-million-square-mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. The US has steadfastly contested those claims, sending warships on freedom of navigation operations near the islands and regularly flying reconnaissance -- and sometimes bomber -- flights over the South China Sea. This development can provide a robust deterrence message to China regarding its behavior in the South and East China seas," Heath said. Schuster added: "Singapore does not want to anger China... Singapore tends to act quietly and with nuance and subtlety."

Source: CNN March 07, 2019 04:52 UTC