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Blue Ridge, Seventh Fleet visit Shanghai

7th Fleet Release

Release Date: 2/24/2004

Seventh Fleet Public Affairs

SHANGHAI, China - USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) arrived here for a regularly scheduled port visit Feb. 24.

Vice Adm. Robert F. Willard, commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet, and Capt. J. Stephen Maynard, Blue Ridge commanding officer, met with senior People's Liberation Army (PLA)(Navy) officials during a welcoming ceremony on Gaoyang road Pier.

"It's been three years since Blue Ridge has visited mainland China," said Willard. "I can think of no port of call as historic and with such a world-renowned reputation for hospitality than Shanghai."

Blue Ridge last visited Shanghai in March 2001.

Willard said he and Maynard plan to formally meet with their colleagues in the PLA Navy and the city of Shanghai over the next several days, and exchange tours of the Seventh Fleet command-and-control ship Blue Ridge and a PLA (Navy) frigate.

In remarks made before the press, military personnel and others, Willard expressed his regard for the continuing relationship the U.S. Navy shares with the PLA Navy.

"The Seventh Fleet has had a very successful 2003 and we hope we will have an equally successful 2004 in exchanging port visits between ourselves and the PLA Navy," said Willard. "This opportunity for Blue Ridge to visit China, much like the other opportunities for Seventh Fleet ships to visit mainland China, is intended to continue what is evolving as a regular military-to-military contact opportunity between us and our PLA colleagues."

Willard emphasized the magnitude of the visit for Blue Ridge and Seventh Fleet Sailors and Marines, and the unique experience they have before them.

"We look forward to this very much, not only for the opportunity for senior level military-to-military contact, but also for the opportunities the Sailors will have to get to know the Chinese and Shanghai better," he said.

Blue Ridge is forward deployed to the western Pacific and operates out of Yokosuka, Japan.