JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet met with Christopher Seed, New Zealand Chief Executive and Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Pacific Fleet command headquarters on board Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam March 28, 2022.

Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet met with Christopher Seed, New Zealand Chief Executive and Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Pacific Fleet command headquarters on board Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam March 28, 2022.

The leaders reaffirmed the strong partnership and friendship between New Zealand and United States.

They discussed the criticality of the Indo-Pacific region and importance of conducting maritime operations with like-minded partners to ensure security, stability and sustainability of the seas.

The Royal New Zealand Navy and U.S. naval forces regularly operate together including combined support efforts to Tonga following the volcanic eruption in January, replenishments-at-sea between navies, cooperative deployments with HMNZS ships visiting Guam and USS Howard (DDG 83) visiting Wellington.

The meetings underscored the U.S. commitment to strengthening alliance and partnerships for an enduring free and open Indo-Pacific.