Filipino, U.S. military leaders meet in Manila aboard 7th Fleet flagship

Philippine Navy Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci speaks with Rear Admiral Joaquin J. Martinez de Pinillos, vice commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, during a reception aboard the USS Blue Ridge, 20 June 2024. (Belen Saldana/US Navy)

USS Blue Ridge, 7^th The fleet’s flagship visited Manila this month for a port call, the first since 2019, a day after a clash between Chinese and Filipino sailors over a disputed reef in the South China Sea.

The amphibious command ship, based at Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan, arrived June 18, 7th Fleet spokeswoman Petty Officer 2nd Class Toi Williams said in a news release Thursday. The Blue Ridge left Manila on Saturday, fleet spokesman Lt. Jamie Moroney told Stars and Stripes via email Thursday.

The stop included meetings between Vice Admiral Fred Kacher, head of the 7th Fleet, with U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Renato David, and Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres Jr., commander of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. .

“We couldn’t be more honored to make our first stop on our summer patrol in Manila with the USS Blue Ridge and our Seventh Fleet team. Our enduring partnership with the Filipino people is deeper and stronger than it has ever been,” Kacher said, according to the statement.

The Philippine Armed Forces and the 7th Fleet headquarters also met aboard the Blue Ridge for talks June 20 and 21, according to a separate press release issued Thursday by the 7th Fleet.

The meeting included discussions on continued cooperation between the two navies, improving communications and maritime security in the region. The participants also discussed the modernization of the Philippine military, Moroney said.

“It is through forums such as the Staff Discussions that we align our efforts with those of our counterparts in the Philippine Fleet,” said Lt. Cmdr. Joseph McGinnis, 7th Fleet theater security cooperation officer, in the press release. “These opportunities strengthen the enduring partnership between our two maritime forces. »

The Blue Ridge arrived a day after the Philippine navy and Chinese coast guard crews again clashed over possession of the Second Thomas Shoal, a shallow reef in the Spratly Islands.

The Philippines places a small detachment of troops on the BRP Sierra Madre, a stranded World War II ship, to strengthen its territorial claims.

In the June 17 clash, Chinese coast guard crew members, wielding knives and machetes, damaged a Philippine Navy inflatable boat, injured a crew member and seized weapons.

Afterwards, Carlson denounced China’s role in the altercation and Secretary of State Antony Blinken called his Philippine counterpart to reassure him of the US commitment to defend the Philippines under their defense treaty mutual.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sought to reduce tensions on Sunday by calling for dialogue with China. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said Monday that the United States must remain steadfast in its support of the Philippines.

Beijing has repeatedly demanded the removal of the Sierra Madre and regularly uses its coast guard to block Philippine supply ships. Chinese ships used aggressive tactics against the ships, including using water cannons, ramming them, boarding them, and seizing supplies and weapons from Filipino sailors.