A a frame grab from aerial video footage shows a China Coast Guard ship (2nd L) and vessels identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as 'Chinese Maritime Militia' (L and R) surrounding the Philippine ship BRP Cabra (2nd R)
AFP

Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the United States Navy's highest-ranking officer, has assured the country's steadfast committed to the AUKUS alliance and its values, irrespective of who comes to power in the U.S.

Franchetti's assurance came Tuesday during her visit to HMAS Stirling naval base. Franchetti, who was accompanied to the base by Australian Vice Admiral Mark Hammond and U.K. Admiral Ben Key, said that AUKUS had a brighter future ahead with the collaborative efforts, including personnel exchange programs and the integration of advanced defense capabilities.

AUKUS is a security partnership between Australia, the U.S., and the U.K. for the Indo-Pacific region.

On Tuesday, admirals Key and Franchetti paid their first combined visit to HMAS Stirling, an important location for Australia's future fleet of nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines, as per an Australian defense press release. The naval leaders toured HMAS Stirling, met with submariners, and committed to boosting naval firepower.

Franchetti also dismissed concerns that a second Donald Trump administration may see a return to isolationist practices.

"Regardless of who is in our political parties and whatever is happening in that space, it's allies and partners that are always our priority. I am committed to delivering our part of Aukus and really working with my teammates every day to make sure that ... we meet those key milestones to deliver Aukus for our nations today, tomorrow and far into the future. I know that all of our partners know that we are going to be there for them when it matters, where it matters, and that's what we deliver every single day," she told reporters, as per The Guardian.

Following the visit, Hammond said, ​"Today my counterparts and I reaffirmed our philosophy of putting our partnership into action and continue to build on the historic friendship between our navies. Our navies operate on shared behaviours, shared values, and a shared commitment to the success and security of the Indo-Pacific region. Only this month we had our first Royal Australian Navy officers graduating from the Royal Navy's Nuclear Reactor Course. This year our technicians have been training and learning unique skills with the US Navy in Guam and embedded on-board the US Submarine Tender, USS Emory S Land (AS 39)."