• Says America, China military to maintain open communication to avoid conflicts
By Emma Emeozor
On her first international trip as the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations to Japan and the Republic of Korea, Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy Admiral Lisa Franchetti held virtual press briefing from Busan, Korea, during which she explained the U.S. Navy’s focus on the value of allies and partners across the globe, but especially the Indo-Pacific.
Being in Korea was more of a home coming for Franchetti, having served as Commander, Naval Forces Korea, from August of 2013 to August of 2015. She was joined at the press briefing by Master Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy James Honea. Honea also served with Franchetti, then as her Command Master Chief in Korea.
Franchetti who was confirmed as the Chief of Naval Operations and member of Joint Chiefs of Staffs on the 2nd of November explained that she purposefully chose to visit the Indo-Pacific region for her first trip because of the strategic significance of the region. According to her, “the security and stability of the region affect every American, it affects every nation around the globe, and again”.
Franchetti further told journalists that her visit was a demonstration of the importance of the region, as it remains America’s foremost priority. In what she described as a clear message to her counterparts during the trip, she said, “the United States Navy is committed to working with allies, partners, and likeminded nations in the Indo-Pacific and upholding a free and open region founded on respect for international rules, laws, and norms.
“This region remains America’s foremost priority, and that is why no matter what is happening around the world, the United States Navy continues to deploy and operate forward here in the Indo-Pacific. Our alliances underpin the stability, the security, of this region, and facilitate the preservation of the rules-based international order.”
Franchetti explained America’s interest and operations in the Indo-Pacific region. “For more than three-quarters of a century, the U.S. Navy has been the anchor of world stability, deterring war, upholding international law, and ensuring access to the seas.
“Today our Navy’s role has never been more important or consequential. Our Navy is America’s away team. We operate forward with allies and partners on, under, and above the sea, and in the same space and the same domains as potential adversaries every single day.
“Today we are training, exercising, and cooperating with allies and partners throughout the Indo-Pacific so that we are not just interoperable, but, where possible, we’re interchangeable. Our allies must be fully integrated into our planning and our operations. As we speak, the United States Navy operates forward alongside allies and partners, prioritizing this Indo-Pacific region”.
To confirm her claims, she said the USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group in Busan “is deployed and supporting our allies and partners and reinforcing those strategic relationships in this very critical region of the world.
“The Vinson Strike Group just completed a training exercise involving multiple large-deck ships with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, bringing together 150 aircraft and more than 10,000 sailors to demonstrate integrated air and naval power.
She also mentioned the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group that recently completed its patrol in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. “During this patrol, they participated in numerous multinational integrated military exercises with participants including the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Royal Australian Navy, the Republic of Korea Navy, and the Indian Navy.
“They also operated in the Indo-Pacific with NATO Allies, including the French, Canadian, and Italian navies, and demonstrated the growing connective tissue between U.S. alliances in the Indo-Pacific and in Europe.
“And throughout this year, we’ve executed many other operations and exercises in the region. Exercise Sama Sama in October, Exercise Noble Wolverine in September, and Malabar in August. Each exercise and operation demonstrates that we are committed to working together to increase our interoperability and strengthen deterrence across the region.”
On South Korea security, the U.S., and Japan plan to operationalise a trilateral system for real-time sharing of North Korean missile warning data. Franchetti said she was in Japan two days earlier where she had conversations about strengthening the trilateral relationship, adding that she will have those same conversations with her Republic of Korea counterparts before departing.
She noted the U.S. has continued to stress the importance of the rules-based international order and has expressed strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to alter the status quo by force or coercion.
U.S.-China relations also featured during the press briefing. Journalists were eager to know the direction of the two countries relations, following the recent meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Journalists were particular about a new agreement of code of conduct in the high sea now that the two countries military communication has resumed. They were also eager to know if the U.S. has any plan to restore naval exchange?
Responding, the Admiral said that President Biden and President Xi recently committed to the resumption of high-level military-to-military communication. Explaining further, she said: “Additionally, the PRC agreed to resuming telephone conversations between theater commanders. And I’m very excited and I welcome this announcement”.
She said “these agreements were reached just recently, so we know that we have work to do with the PRC military to solidify the next steps for these actions. But I think it’s incredibly important to maintain open lines of communication between our two militaries. It’s essential to avoiding misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to a crisis or a conflict.”
Asked to give her opinion on China’s live-fire drills in the South China Sea while the U.S. and the Philippines carried out joint sea and air patrols, the Admiral answered thus: “So the Navy has operated around the globe for centuries, demonstrating our ability to be present, to assure our allies and defend our interests, and there’s nothing new about that.
“No member of the international community should be intimidated or coerced into giving up their rights and freedoms. So again, we will always continue to fly, sail, and operate alongside our partners and in accordance with international law.
“We are welcoming the strengthening of the ties between the United States and the Philippines. Again, we see historic momentum in the alliance, which has upheld peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region for over 70 years.
“And I’m looking forward to further exploring opportunities to strengthen the bilateral operations and planning, including through our upcoming Balikatan 2024 exercise, and look forward to expanding even further into multilateral activities with likeminded partners.
“As it pertains to China’s recent provocations, dangerous maneuvers against the U.S. aircraft and ships operating in the South China Sea, we are committed to preserving the rights of all nations to fly, sail, and operate safely and responsibly wherever international law allows.”
When reminded of the enormous task of having to deal with the China-Taiwan crisis, the South China Sea crisis, and the Korean Peninsula crisis and then the Indo-Pacific region, especially the 7th Fleet, which is the most extensive area compared to other regions, Franchetti was quick to say “the United States Navy is a global force.”
“We operate effectively all around the world. We’re effectively postured to work all around the world. Our 7th Fleet has our most high-end capabilities. I, as CNO, prioritise sending our most up-to-date capabilities there with our best trained people, and I am confident in the 7th Fleet’s ability to deter and to operate freely alongside our partners, and that they are always going to be ready to respond to anything that comes their way”.
Franchetti was asked to explain what the U.S. was doing to counter China and the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) increasingly aggressive operations in places like the South China Sea, “as exemplified by last week’s use of a destroyer sonar against Australian naval divers”. Precisely, she was asked if she fear that there is nothing anybody can do to reduce such aggression by the PLA?”
Her response: “As I said earlier, the Navy continues to operate around the globe with our allies and partners, and we expect all navies to operate in international waters to uphold the rules and norms of proper military behavior on, under, and above the sea.
“So our effort and our focus area is ensuring that we operate professionally at all times. We continue to send that message that navies need to operate professionally and continue to have those positive interactions. That’s how we lead, by our example with our allies and partners. And we expect the PRC and every other navy around the world to abide by those customs and traditions of safe and professional operations at sea that do not endanger the lives of our sailors around the world.”
Franchetti also reacted to a question on the greatest competitive challenge that China poses in the maritime domain, and how she sees it evolving with time? The question was asked following observation that that “some U.S. partners, including India, are increasingly concerned about China’s undersea capacity with both submarines, unmanned underwater drones, and surveying of the ocean floor. There are also obviously concerns about the Chinese coast guard in the South China Sea. “
She said: “Well, as we’ve all seen, China continues to develop its capabilities in the maritime and in all other domains. We will continue to operate together with our allies and partners, which, again, I think are really our strategic advantage, something that China simply doesn’t have, nor do many of our other adversaries or potential adversaries around the world.
“So by operating together, continuing to build with our interoperability through exercise training and planning, the United States and all of its allies and partners will continue to deter China and other potential adversaries around the world.
“Again, I think this is our greatest strategic advantage. So as we watch China and their development of their military, I’m focused on what we can do to develop incredible capabilities with our allies and partners and be able to operate together in the maritime ecosystem to deter, to defend, and, if necessary, defeat any adversary”.