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All right . Thanks Sean . Thanks on our

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for setting this all up and good

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morning and welcome to the C Cat

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Maritime Security seminar for 2021

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first . I'd like to acknowledge the

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superb planning effort resulting in

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this year's exercise . Special thanks

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and a job well done to all the planners

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for their hard work for C Cap . It's an

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honor to be back in Japan and it's

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critically important region of the

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world and a real privilege to speak to

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you today . I consider Seacat an

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important example of everything that we

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value in this region . Southeast Asia

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sit center stage in the current

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competition for influence and the

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struggle to uphold a rules based

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international order . Adherence to

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international norms , rules and laws is

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essential not only to protect maritime

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resources and fisheries , but also to

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enable the free flow of international

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trade , 80% of which travels by the sea .

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Our collective ability to assure

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maritime security benefits all of us in

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the region and across the globe ,

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enhancing that ability is both a noble

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cause and pragmatic . The end of

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pacific is a vast and challenging

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region , most notably the maritime

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environment . Clearly , it's an

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environment where no single nation can

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or even should preserve on its own . It

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takes partnership and commitment in

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this region . The strength of our

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partnerships matters and our ability

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and willingness to work together is

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paramount . We are stronger when we

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sail together and seek out . Is that

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perfect venue to enhance our

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interoperability as we aim to tackle

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our shared maritime security concerns

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Head on together . one major challenge

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that we faced over the past years ,

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COVID and maintaining our operational

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readiness during this global pandemic .

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While this pandemic stressed our

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traditional means of security

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cooperation , our ability to adapt in

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the face of an uncertain environment

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has proved vital as we continue to

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strengthen longstanding partnerships in

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advance our maritime security interests .

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While this pandemic is not over , it is

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truly impressive that so many nations

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resolved to come together to enhance

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our ability to address regional

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maritime challenges to the economic and

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geographic security of this region . In

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this year's seacat , we aim to increase

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the effective integration of maritime

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awareness through a new and innovative

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multilateral queuing construct to more

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effectively find fixed track and

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intercept vessels of interest . The

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fidelity cooperation and coordination

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required to deliver on our goal is no

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simple task , But through consistent

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practice , maritime awareness can be

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achieved at high levels of proficiency

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with increased training and practice

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while operating as a team , We can

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dissuade illegal use of the maritime

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environment . Maritime security is

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about working together to preserve the

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international rules based order , which

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has proven successful over the past

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seven decades . This rules based

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maritime order not only protects

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resources and provides greater maritime

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security , but reinforces the

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imperative for all Mariners to abide by

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a shared ethos of professionalism . We

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all share the international water space

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and therefore share in the

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responsibility to ensure that we

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cooperate and work together to uphold

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the delicate balance of maritime

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stability . Seacat presents us with the

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perfect opportunity to showcase the

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international community and our ability

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to work seamlessly and transparently

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together as we kick off this year's

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exercise , I encourage candor and

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confidence as you move to build

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stronger partnership to enhance the

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maritime security across the region .

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As I close , I would like to offer

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particular thanks to the international

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and the non governmental organizations

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and the U . S . Interagency

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organizations for championing those

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norms , rules and laws and application

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of women , peace and security

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principles and humanitarian law and for

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helping us with scenario injects to

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increase the realism of this exercise

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and to to test our thinking . I would

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also like to thank everyone for their

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participation . Last year we were only

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able to conduct a virtual seminar , but

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this year , in addition to the virtual

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seminar were able to conduct a robust ,

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robust field training exercise to

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sharpen our competitive edge , enhance

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our ability to work together to address

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shared threats . It's an exciting time

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for not just the Southeast asian

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participants , but also for the

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observing nations who clearly recognize

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the value of the south china sea to the

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global community . I look forward to a

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successful event that advances our

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collective maritime security and

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commitment to a free and open in the

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pacific . Thank you .