Navy. Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, left, and Admiral John C. Aquilino shake hands during the U.S. Indo-Pacific change of command ceremony held Friday at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
1:00 JST, May 6, 2024
HONOLULU – The U.S. Indo-Pacific change of command ceremony took place Friday at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
Navy. Admiral Samuel J. Paparo took over from Navy Admiral John C. Aquilino for the U.S. Military Command responsible for the Pacific region, including U.S. forces in Japan.
“Now we continue to face real challenges in the region… Unfortunately, the People’s Republic of China continues to engage in increasingly coercive behavior,” said US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who attended the ceremony and emphasized the importance of strengthening the deterrence against China.
Paparo emphasized the importance of maintaining close partnerships with allies to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.
