Digital Press Briefing with Rear Admiral Andrew M. Sugimoto, Deputy Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area

MODERATOR:  Greetings from the U.S. Department of State’s Asia Pacific Media Hub.  I would like to welcome journalists to today’s on-the-record briefing with Rear Admiral Andrew M. Sugimoto, Deputy Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area.  Admiral Sugimoto will discuss the Coast Guard Pacific Area’s current engagements and responsibilities, his vision for the future of Coast Guard presence in the Indo-Pacific region, and how the U.S. Coast Guard can continue to be a trusted partner to likeminded regional coast guards throughout the region through meaningful people-to-people engagements and exercises.  He will take questions from participating journalists.

With that, let’s get started.  Admiral Sugimoto, thank you for being with us.  I’ll turn it over to you for your opening remarks.

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  Thank you so much for having me here today.  It is really an honor and a privilege to be able to speak with everyone today.

I am one month into my job as Deputy Commander, and I can already tell you how impressed I am with our Pacific partners throughout the region, how we stand together as allies, and how we come together to help each other continue to support and reinforce the value of a rules-based order and a safety and security that is so important to the Pacific.

One of the things that really stands out for us is our friendship with the Philippines.  And as I am here working with the Philippine Coast Guard and as a member of Admiral Paparo’s delegation to the Philippine military, it is such an honor and privilege to be able to meet our allies and friends who we have worked together with in this region for so many years together.

There is a lot going on in this world, and I think it is just very important that we continue to highlight the importance of rules-based and lawful operations on the ocean, as the ocean interconnects all of us and allows us to have economies that flourish and prosper; it is the way that we help feed our populations; the strategic resources that are present help continue to build our nations; and when we come together – in exercises, in training, or other things like that – it is how we continue to build each other up in this region and help support each other in a very dangerous world.

Thank you.

MODERATOR:  Thank you so much, Admiral Sugimoto.  We will now turn to the question-and-answer portion of today’s briefing.  Our first question came in in advance from Dave Rising at the Associated Press, based in Bangkok, Thailand, and Dave asks:  “As China pursues its sweeping South China Sea claims more aggressively, have countries been reaching out to the U.S. Coast Guard for more support?  If so, what form has this support taken – training, joint patrols, et cetera – and what more is planned?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  Thank you for that question.  Yes, there have been many nations that have reached out to the United States Coast Guard, and we look forward to working with each and every one of them.  We have shifted some resources to the Pacific, specifically in order to be able to meet those commitments.  We are deploying a ship called our Indo-Pacific support cutter, which is out there going around the Pacific Island nations providing training and assistance.  We do patrols in the Western Pacific.  We’ve had two ships this past year that have been out there conducting exercises with all of our partners – Korea, Japan, the Philippines – and just recently the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche came back from a very successful patrol in the Western Pacific.

We are helping nations with real operations, so when the typhoon came through the Philippines here recently and the Motor Tanker Terra Nova sank, we worked together with the Philippine Coast Guard and sent a group of individuals here so that we could safely remove 1.5 million liters of fuel which was not going to contaminate the shores or the fisheries of the local population.

We continue to conduct search-and-rescue exercises and search-and-rescue cases throughout the Pacific.  We provide technical advice when it comes to search and rescue, such as running drift patterns and others so that we can safely find those individuals in distress.  We also look forward to building up those alliances, so we just recently reaffirmed our commitment to Japan, Kore, and the Philippines in terms of working together, conducting joint exercises, and made sure that we continue to work together.

As far as excess defense allocations, those are also available to the countries here in the Western Pacific, and there’s a process that goes through in which each nation can ask for certain things, and I look forward, should something be allocated to the Philippine Coast Guard, to working with the crews and improving our ability to work together with that.

MODERATOR:  All right.  Our next question came in in advance from Emmanuel Vargas, GMA DZBB, based in the Philippines.  Emmanuel asks:  “Is countering China increasing aggression solely on the hands of the Phils or is there anything the international community could do?  Are there old naval assets the U.S. is considering to transfer for the Philippine Coast Guard based on events at the West Philippine Sea?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  We are all connected on the ocean.  Fish know no boundaries.  Pollution doesn’t know any boundaries.  Our fellow human beings in trouble don’t care who is there to help each other.  And we need to continue to work together collectively as a globe to continue to reinforce those rules on which we count on.  We need to be able to send ships freely wherever the oceans are, as that is part of the right of every nation on the planet.  And so we stand together with the Philippines and we condemn the actions of aggressive individuals that do such things as ram or try to prevent humanitarian supplies from reaching individuals resupplying their fellow citizens – any of those things that are part of it.  We also want to ensure that resources are protected, such as fisheries, so that we can continue to make sure people are fed throughout the world.

And so wherever that is, the more countries come together – and as I said before, there is this growing interest to want to work together to continue to uphold those very precious rules that we all depend on in order to be able to coexist safely and peacefully on the planet together.  And there is a growing number of individuals that want to talk to us about it.

MODERATOR:  Thank you.  Our next question came in via the Q&A tab from Gordon Arthur at Defense News, based in New Zealand.  Gordon asks:  “How is the U.S. Coast Guard able to support Philippine law enforcement agencies against bullying from China?  What do you see as the best way to counter such violent and aggressive actions by China?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  The best way is twofold.  One is to demonstrate what those international rules-based orders are that are so important for us to follow and for us to lead by example, along with our partners.  It is to point out those transgressions that occur from nations that are counter to those things and help them understand how the rest of the world wants to operate.  We can afford training in terms of legal capacity or maritime domain awareness, or even conduct joint exercises at sea to that they can see that we are united in our will to uphold that rules-based order that’s so important.

And a general world consensus does matter.  China wants to have a vibrant economy, and if nations condemn the actions and they see the economy as something that may be – the goodwill may be damaged in terms of their actions in the world, perhaps they will change their – the way they do business.

China wants to be seen as a member of the world that has a set of rules and enforces it, but whenever they do things like ramming or water cannoning unarmed vessels, it does not appear to be so.  When they uphold the rules themselves and they stand and lead by example, that’s when the rest of the world will notice that they are in fact world leaders and not bullies.

MODERATOR:  Thank you.  Our next question came from Jason Gutierrez of Radio Free Asia and Benar News, in Manila, the Philippines, who asked:  “Will you be joining in freedom of navigations sails?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  Absolutely.  We conduct freedom of navigation exercises or transits throughout the world.  We are a firm believer in reinforcing the right of every nation to be able to transit freely, as long as they do so in accordance with customary law and international law.  It is an important part of upholding rules-based order.

Similarly, right, we do not aggressively harass Chinese vessels or other vessels in the world when they come north into the Arctic off of Alaska or in other places.  We respect their right to transit when they want to go through the Aleutian Islands.  And so we expect the same ability to do so wherever we are in international waters to be able to freely and safely navigate according to the – to those rules that are out there.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you.  We had a question come in through the chat from Aaron-Matthew Lariosa at USNI News, based in Washington, D.C., who asks:  “What can we expect from future trilateral U.S.-Japan-Philippine coast guard cooperation?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  Thank you for that question.  I am excited about that.  Working together recently, we conducted search-and-rescue operations or search-and-rescue exercises.  We love seeing nations coming together and supporting.  And so it really isn’t about one nation trying to push its points, but it is an example of us all coming together wanting to uphold those rules-based order that we find so important in our ability to conduct commerce, to feed our citizens, to safely protect them on the waters, to protect the environment – all of those things.  And those rules are the basis on which we can coexist peacefully and do those things.

And so there is a tremendous appetite in a lot of different ways, not just at sea but perhaps even in legal exchanges, information sharing, maritime domain awareness, to really help each other build those things out.

Our ability also transcends not just what does – what we do on the water, but it is also our ability to help nations improve their port complexes – the ability to transship goods and services out from their ports; conducting and being able to do increased commerce as it goes through ports are all things that benefits the nations and are vitally important toward a growing and flourishing country that has a seaport.

MODERATOR:  Okay, moving away from the Philippines for a moment, we had a question come in in advance from Chan Thul Prak at Kiripost, based in Cambodia, who asks:  “How does the U.S. Coast Guard envision partnering with Cambodia to enhance maritime security and combat challenges of illegal fishing and transnational crime in its waters?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  We very much look forward to working with Cambodia and any of the nations.  We have a growing relationship with their neighbor, Vietnam.  Those are exactly those areas where we want to continue to raise awareness, to make sure that we are protecting the environment, that we are protecting those natural resources such as fish in which these nations depend upon feeding populations; being able to curb destabilizing influences such as transnational crime; and allowing countries therefore to flourish.  And so there are many different ways that we can work together with them, but we really want to help shape how they manage their EEZs and help them achieve the goals that they want.

Our goal is to be the trusted partner in the Pacific.  It is not for us to tell them what they want or what they need.  We are going to be there for the things that they ask us for.  And so if Cambodia asks us for help with IUUF or fisheries or countering transnational crime, we look forward to working with them to increase those skills and to combat it.  It only leads to regional stability, and regional stability leads to better commerce, and better commerce leads to a higher standard of living in the countries, which we want for everybody.

MODERATOR:  Okay.  We had a question from Ken Sasaki from Kyodo News, based in Manila, the Manila bureau chief.  Ken asks:  “Joint vision statement by Japanese-U.S.-Filipino leaders in April says the United States looks forward to welcoming Philippine and Japan coast guard members onto a U.S. Coast Guard vessel during a patrol in the Indo-Pacific this year.  Could you please explain the details, if possible?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  Yes, thank you.  That is a great question.  We’re very proud to say that the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche recently hosted observers from the Philippine Coast Guard, the Japanese Coast Guard, the Vietnamese Coast Guard for 13 days on board as they transited, and we were able to highlight how we do operations, show how we want to reinforce rules-based order out there, safely conduct certain operations, help and show them what and how we do maintenance on our ships, which is always very important, right?  So it was very nice having them on board to be able to show and do that, and we look forward to doing future shiprider events or having observers on board in future deployments, and we very much look forward to working with Japan, Philippine Coast Guard, and others that ask to do so.

MODERATOR:  Okay, next we have a question from J.P. Soriano with GMA News in Manila, the Philippines.  J.P. asks:  “The most recent act of aggression from the China Coast Guard involved deliberately ramming an unarmed Philippine vessel.  When will the U.S. activate its obligation under the Mutual Defense Treaty?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  That is a question that is generally listed with Department of State and others.  We unequivocally condemn the ramming of vessels.  Right?  The whole point of rules on the water is so that we don’t run into each other.  And so this is a clear act of bullying by one individual that wants to exert its influences over another nation with complete disregard for the rules and the international law that exists.

So we stand with the Philippines and we will continue to work with them, and if Article 4 is invoked, we will stand with the Philippine Coast Guard and everybody else that is a part of – that we have a mutual defense treaty with, and all those other things.

So it is not something that I personally can specifically drive towards, but that is the reason that we want to continue to work together – so that interoperability, our ability to have effective communications, to be able to have effective maritime domain awareness of what’s going on out there – all of those things are so that we can be as effective as possible and continue to push back against those nations that want to exert their influences solely for their purposes at the expense of other law-abiding nations.

MODERATOR:  Okay, we had a question from Nokoreach Prak from RFA Khmer, based in Cambodia, who asks:  “Why is the United States worried that China has set up a military base in Ream?  What did the United States find around this case?  What do you think about the repeated rejection by the Cambodian Government that China is not allowed to deploy troops at Ream military bases?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  I am not an expert on the deploying of troops into Cambodia, but what I can tell you is that we are more concerned about the practices that China has done in other places when it comes to how they fund those particular bases, and then because the nations sometimes have difficulty paying back, how China then exerts its influence in the economy, in the politicians, and taking over territory in other nations by de facto through economic means, taking over port control and others.  And that base and the surrounding area – that port complex – is incredibly important to Cambodia in its economy being able to transship goods and services around the world, and to be able to take care of fishing boats and other things like that.

And so if that disappears and if it becomes China territory, well, that comes at the expense of Cambodia and that is something that we do not think is right in order to do so.  So thank you for the question.

MODERATOR:  Okay, next we go to a question that came in in advance from Zen Hernandez of ABS-CBN News in the Philippines.  Zen asks:  “After ramming vessels of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries in Sabina Shoal 123 nautical miles from Palawan, the Chinese Coast Guard says its measures were necessary and in accordance with domestic and international law and that it was, quote, ‘professional, restrained and appropriate,’ end quote.  What do you think of these actions?  Are there also ways by which the U.S. Coast Guard Indo-Pacific can help to deter such aggressive behavior from any country?  Any upcoming joint activities with the Philippine Coast Guard?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  Thank you for that question.  And it’s almost stunning in the way it was delivered, because if I ask anybody to go and find the international rules where ramming is supposed to be a measure of upholding international law – the collision regulations which all maritime countries abide by in order to safely navigate the oceans of the world are specifically designed to prevent vessels from ramming each other or hitting each other.  So it’s a little astounding to say that I’m going to break the law in order to uphold the law.  It just doesn’t make sense, and I think most nations out there see that as unsafe and unprofessional conduct, which only highlights and further emphasizes the bullying that is going on, right?

If this was done in different ways, of diplomatic channels of delivering a demarche or other things like that in order to be able to communicate their foreign policy will, that’s one thing.  That’s following the rules.  That’s doing what we’re supposed to do.  But I challenge people to find other places in the world where rules – law-abiding countries that conduct safe and professional operations are going and ramming other vessels.  It just doesn’t happen.  Nor do we go around and, taking water cannons, basically trying to flood out vessels and sink them.  That is not what we call safe and professional operations.

So I just want to highlight that part in the context of the statement itself – how disconnected that seems from reality, and go back to that is exactly what we want to prevent happening from this world.

And so we want to work with the Philippine Coast Guard.  We are working with the Philippine Coast Guard in a number of different ways through training, through helping them with the organization and buildout of the Philippine Coast Guard.  We have transferred vessels to the Philippine Coast Guard, helped them with the operations, maintenance of those particular vessels.  We are looking for whatever the Philippine Coast Guard wants us to help them with.  That’s what we are here for in training, capacity building, legal structures, building out the laws necessary to support them, MDA, any of those things.

And so we are very grateful for that partnership, and we are grateful for the professional and truly safe way in which the Philippines have responded back to this.  Because it really demonstrates that this nation, the Philippines, do stand for the conduct that we all recognize is what we want in this world and not that of the other individual that keeps bullying smaller nations.

MODERATOR:  Okay, a follow-up to that, we have Aaron-Matthew Lariosa from the USNI News in Washington, D.C., who asks:  “What maritime domain awareness initiatives have been held to assist the Philippines monitor its EEZ?”

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  So that’s a great question.  Thank you.  There are a number of different MDA initiatives out there, some being generated by our other partners such as Australia.  There is certainly HawkEye 360 and SeaVision that the United States is putting out there, but we need to find that product that is economically viable for countries, that’s effective, makes use of new and emerging technology such as commercial satellite imagery, and binds together so that we can effectively communicate together about it and make – raise the awareness for everybody, right?  All of the countries are so interconnected here in the Philippine Sea – to the north, Japan; to the west, Guam – I’m sorry, to the east, Guam – and we want to make sure that we have a great picture of what commerce is out there and all those other things.

The other thing, too, I want to highlight is that there is the National Maritime Center here built by DTRA, and it’s manned by the Philippine Coast Guard here, which they specifically invite the members of the different services to come in to raise maritime domain awareness for them to see what it looks like out there, to get that picture, and we want to highlight that as a successful entity and something that could be replicated to those other nations that are also willing to come together.  And the more that we have of those around, the more we can truly understand where bullying has taken place and we can react in a lawful – lawful and professional manner in response to it to demonstrate that we are not going to take it and that we are going to be safe and professional about our conduct.

MODERATOR:  Okay, we’re coming close to the end of our time today.  So, Admiral Sugimoto, if you have any closing remarks, I’ll turn it back over to you.

REAR ADMIRAL SUGIMOTO:  Thank you.  The ocean is such an incredibly important part of all of our lives.  The ability to be able to safely access it, to be able to get our food sources from it, to be able to protect it from man-made environmental mistakes, to be able to protect citizens that sail upon it and traverse aboard it – so making sure they are safe and secure – all of those things are incredibly important.

It is also the way we connect to each and every one of us.  And while air travel is certainly one method, the majority of all commerce – 90 percent of it – that flows through the world is on the lifeblood of our oceans.

So this is the center point in which why it is so important that we follow the rules, that we follow safe conduct, that we’re professional about it.  And as we all know, it is important to our nations so that they can flourish.

So I am looking forward to the time period where we will continue these to increase the number of nations that are coming together, and not just trilateral but quadrilateral or any number of others – the ASEAN nations, around the globe – in supporting these efforts as we move out.

I am looking forward to continuing to work with the Philippine Coast Guard.  To us, they are family.  They have been with us and stood with us for so long, and we look forward to continuing to work with them and share our thoughts and how to do what I had just talked about.

I am looking forward to meeting with the senior officials here, later on as a matter of fact, and then continuing with Admiral Paparo’s delegation to the military leadership later on as well this week.

We need to continue to come together as a group to protect what’s so vital for us and to follow the guidance set forth and the Coast Guard-specific campaign plan that I know you heard about from Admiral Tiongson, the Coast Guard Strategy put out by Admiral Fagan.  There are so many different documents that all point to what I’ve been talking about this half-hour about why it’s so important that we work together, that we train together, that we save lives together, that we protect the environment together, that we counter illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing together, we take out destabilizing influences of transnational organizations, and we continue to grow our economies together and improve the world in the way it moves forward.

There are many other things the world gets to vote on itself, right?  Climate change and other things like that.  And so, we need to continue to work together on a number of those things to make sure that we take care of each other out on the ocean and the seas, and that has been our goal all along.

So thank you very much for the time today.

MODERATOR:  Okay, that brings us to the end of our time for today.  Thank you all for your questions.  I’m sorry we didn’t get to every last one.  And thank you so much to Admiral Sugimoto for joining us.

We will provide a transcript of this briefing to participating journalists as soon as it’s available.  And we’d also love to hear your feedback.  You can contact us at any time at [email protected].  Thanks again for your participation and we hope you can join us for another briefing soon.