Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga says the visit of a US Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS Shoup, to the territory reassures American Samoa of the US government’s commitment “to protect our people, our rights, our property.”

The governor was speaking yesterday morning during a news conference at the Governor’s Office, where he, along with several cabinet members and his senior staff, were present to officially welcome Commander Andy Strickland, Commanding Officer of the USS Shoup, and its crew, who sailed into port last Saturday and are scheduled to depart later this week.

Strickland says the USS Shoup last visited the territory in 2011 and he had also visited the territory in 2003. The current visit is part of the ship’s Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) deployment.

In his remarks, Lolo explained that since his administration took over in 2013, this is the first official tour of a military vessel. He then provided a brief background history of the territory and its connection to the US Navy, going back to 1900.

According to Lolo, the US Navy used this island during the launching of World War II against Japan and “as far as we remember, that’s how we became American in the first place. We’ve been Americans over the past 100-plus years.”

He noted that American Samoa has the highest per capita military recruitment compared to any other state.

The governor mentioned, without elaborating, several concerns that Strickland and his crew are looking into during their mission in the Oceania region “and it’s something that is long overdue.”

Lolo pointed out that the “influence of the Chinese around the Pacific is very, very detrimental to our survival. As small as we are, we hope this is the beginning of our military focusing on us.”

The governor explained that American Samoa is surrounded by every nation, that’s either independent or influenced by other foreign powers, different than that of the rest of the U.S. Additionally, American Samoa is the only US possession south of the equator and “we take pride in that.”

“Thank you for making an effort to be here,” Lolo said to Strickland. “That reassures us of the commitment by the US government to protect our people, our rights, our properties. Now you are here to enforce our fishing laws and make sure that we are secure.”

The governor acknowledged that American Samoa has been “very fortunate that we have the US Coast Guard and we have been working very closely with the Coast Guard to provide some support and security for our people.”

Strickland in his remarks noted that he, along with the crew of the USS Shoup, are very happy to be back in the territory and “we are enjoying your hospitality. We’re grateful for the opportunity to visit such a beautiful place and share it with fellow Americans.”

The US Navy maintains presence in the Indo-Pacific region “to help preserve peace and security and to further partnerships with friends and allies,” the Commander explained. “All countries in this region have experienced economic prosperity largely because of security and stability that exist at sea.”

He said the USS Shoup completed a portion of its patrol, partnering with Vanuatu Maritime law enforcement. The second part of its patrol was spent re-enforcing the growing partnership with the Republic of Fiji.

“And we’re here to re-enforce the US commitment to all of those partnerships,” he said, noting that the US Navy is also operating in the area with the US Coast Guard partners, conducting Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) “to ensure economic prosperity through the security of high seas and enforcement of maritime laws.”

In closing, he said, “More to the point, I can confirm the sailors continue to enjoy their time in American Samoa. Thank you for the warm welcome back.”

The US Navy in a brief statement over the weekend announced the ship’s arrival in Pago Pago. It explained that OMSI is a US Secretary of Defense program that leverages Department of Defense assets transiting the region to improve maritime security and maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania.

“I am proud of our sailors’ accomplishments and the dedication they have shown towards supporting our partners in Oceania,” Strickland is quoted in the statement. “We are excited to experience Samoan culture and engage with the local community.”

At the end of the news conference, the Governor’s Office presented Strickland with a kava bowl, the second edition of the American Samoa Centennial book, and a gift basket, which included wahoo and other local goodies. Cases of wahoo were also given for the ship’s crew.

In return, Strickland presented the governor with a plaque and again expressed their appreciation for the warm welcome back to Pago Pago. The governor toured the ship after 12noon yesterday.

The USS Shoup’s visit has given the local economy a boost, based on reports received by Samoa News about the crew enjoying themselves at local establishments such as restaurants and night clubs.