Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet, Vice Adm. Robert Willard, speaks to reporters at a press conference.

Shanghai, China (Feb. 24, 2004) Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet, Vice Adm. Robert Willard, speaks to reporters at a press conference on Gaoyang Pier shortly after the Seventh Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) arrived for a scheduled port visit. Blue Ridge last visited Shanghai in March 2001. Shanghai, called "Hu" for short, is a bustling metropolis located at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Connected with Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in the west, the city is exposed to the East China Sea in the east. With a total area of 6,341 square kilometers (about 2,448 square miles) and a population of more than 13 million, Shanghai is Chinas largest city. Sailors and Marines from the ship and embarked staff will take an opportunity to experience the local culture and interacted with their counterparts from the People's Liberation Army (Navy). The amphibious command ship is forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Novia E. Harrington. File# 040224-N-8955H-071