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| P-8A Poseidon (File Photo) |
The participation of Admiral Scott Swift, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, in a seven-hour reconnaissance mission over the South China Sea aboard a P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft should be viewed as a strategic move by Washington to solidify its defensive position in the region, according to the Moscow-based Sputnik News.
Instead of reducing tension with China over the disputed waters, the United States has pushed for cooperation with regional powers to constrict Chinese maritime expansion, said the report. The US is motivated by the necessity of maintaining freedom of navigation between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, where it regularly moves ships, aircraft and troops.
Read the full story at Want China Times