Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday gave the keynote address at the 12th Regional Seapower Symposium (RSS), Oct. 17.

The symposium's theme this year is “Shaping our Navies for the Blue Century,” with an aim to identify the possible future of modern navies, considering both conflicts and threats of the maritime domain.

“I’m committed to advancing our relationship and our shared values of democracy, free and fair trade, the rule of law,” Gilday said during his remarks. “Combined with a robust constellation of allies and partners who desire to build and strengthen the international economic order, we are operating towards the same end - continued security and stability that results in a Free and Open maritime commons.”

Gilday provided the keynote address where he spoke to maritime representatives from around the globe and stressed the importance of security and stability, which enables prosperity.

“Seas enable economic prosperity of nations, allowing the free flow of more than 90 percent of all trade and 99 percent of digital information,” he said.  “The scope and scale of human activity today has made our economies more dependent on the seas than ever before.  Indeed, our global economy floats on seawater.”

The primary purpose of RSS is to foster an open and constructive exchange of views and ideas, enhancing a comprehensive approach to many sea-related matters, as well as boost mutual knowledge and trust among naval partners.

“While any navy can surge forces, none of us can surge trust,” Gilday said.  “Naval exercises and symposiums like RSS help us build relationships so that we can talk to each other in good times… as well as difficult ones.”

Gilday said that the United States stands ready to ensure security and to reinforce the international norms that enables our shared prosperity.

“Being ready to defend international norms is important to the United States, and I know it is important to most, if not all, of you,” he said.  “We are defending international norms to foster global economic prosperity; we do it to protect the right to navigate the world’s international waters; we do it to ensure smaller nations are not bullied by others, so they can access their fair share of resources; we do it to help others recover from disasters; we do it to ensure the maritime domain is a more stable and secure place for all of us. And that is why we should continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows.”

Following RSS, Gilday will visit Sailors in Naples, Italy.

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