The United States Coast Guard plans to increase its Pacific Islands presence to deter illegal activity, saying it welcomes collaboration with China including in search and rescue missions.
The coast guard has launched Operation Blue Pacific, targeting drug and people smuggling along with illegal fishing while providing support to its Oceania allies.
Coast Guard Captain Jennifer Conklin on Friday provided an overview, saying the goal was to uphold American and Pacific Island sovereign rights.
The US was seeking to have a constructive relationship with China wherever possible, she said.
The US and China were both signatories to the Asia Pacific Search and Rescue Plan and their coordination centres frequently contacted each other to ensure an appropriate response, she said.
"There are areas that we do collaborate, and we welcome all legal and local actors in the region," she told reporters on Friday, speaking from Hawaii.
