Australia's surveillance plan will boost tension, experts say

Canberra's "upgraded interference" in the South China Sea issue brings no help, but only increases tension, experts said.

Australia is likely to deploy military assets in the South China Sea for surveillance of an exercise between China and Russia in September, according to reports in The Sydney Morning Herald.

"The exercise between Chinese and Russian ships and planes is intended to send a signal of defiance to the West, but defence sources and experts say it will also provide a gold mine of intelligence on how the major powers' militaries work together," the report said, suggesting that Australia might use Collins Class submarines and P-3 Orion surveillance planes, as well as surface warships.