Up close with the man tasked to implement US’ military policy in South China Sea

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Editor’s Note: Admiral Philip Davidson faced the media for the first time recently on his 7th week as the new commander of the Indo Pacific Command. GMA News’ Chino Gaston was there.

When journalists covering the 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercises were told we were meeting with the US Indo-Pacific Command commander Admiral Philip Davidson, I considered it a rare opportunity to meet the man tasked to implement America’s military policy in the South China Sea.

We were told the meeting could not be recorded and that a transcript of the round table discussion would be provided at a later date.

Security was understandably tight as we entered the PACOM Compound in Honolulu.

No electronic equipment was allowed inside the building.

The US Pacific Command had direct control over all US forces in its area of operations which ranged from the Indian Ocean all the way to the Pacific side of North and South America.

US Navy Admiral Philip S. Davidson marks his first visit to the Republic of Korea as the Indo-Pacific Command Commander with a visit to the Joint Security Area and the demilitarized zone on June 24, 2018. Photo courtesy of US Embassy and Consulate in Korea

From this perspective, the security protocol started to make sense given all the security concerns in the region.

We were led into the lobby, past Navy memorabilia and into two elevators with strict orders to take the same elevators after the meeting was adjourned.

The briefing room had two long tables with specific seating arrangements. You were to sit at the chair where a nameplate bearing your name was placed facing the seat of Admiral Davidson.

A large seal of the Pacific Command dominated one wall while a small watercolor painting of the latest stealth submarine hung from a wall to the commander’s right.

Admiral Davidson entered the room clad in military uniform, his tall dominating frame a contrast to his slight, somber smile.

He shook hands with all the journalists in the room, making his way around the two tables and taking your hand with a firm although easy grip.

After a brief statement on the objectives of the ongoing Rim of the Pacific Exercises as well as the common interests shared by the participating countries, Davidson took our questions.

An eye on China

It was no surprise that the first question was about the perceived belligerence of China in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Davidson admits there were some aspects of Chinese behavior in the region that was a matter of concern for the United States.

“There are areas in which China is trying to supplant the United States and our interests in the region. They’re exercising some coercive economic practices in the region as well,” he said.

The US, Davidson said, is quite clear on the environment it wants to maintain in the region.

“We have made it quite plain that our interest is in a free and open Indo-Pacific as opposed to some alternative structure that is rather opaque,” he said.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/world/661293/up-close-with-the-man-tasked-to-implement-us-military-policy-in-south-china-sea/story/

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