The three-day Global Security Asia (GSA), a biennial event taking place here for the third time, has drawn 157 exhibitors at the Singapore Expo.

They will showcase the latest in security screening, surveillance, and sea, land and air security.

The exhibitors include companies like Certis Cisco, Motorola, NEC and Thales.

Also being held in tandem is a security conference, at which over 50 international speakers will discuss topics ranging from human behavior in crowd, riot control to response during radiological incidents.

At a press briefing on Monday, Mr Andrew Marriot, the director of exhibition organiser GSA Exhibitions, said the amount spent on homeland security in the Asia Pacific region should hit over US$35 billion by 2014. Last year, about US$20 billion was spent, he said.

The conference and exhibition, which are open to trade and professional visitors, end on Thursday.