 Welcome to All Hands Update, I'm Petty Officer Jonathan Pankaw. U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge arrived in Qingdao, China, August 5th. The ship's crew and 7th Fleet staff were greeted at a welcoming ceremony on the pier. The visit promotes maritime cooperation and reinforces a positive Navy-to-Navy relationship with the People's Liberation Army Navy. U.S. Navy sailors also had an opportunity to tour the Chinese naval vessel CNS Yang Chang. While aboard Yang Chang, 7th Fleet leaders conducted planning for a future joint search and rescue exercise. 7th Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Robert Thomas said it's good for the crew to experience the Chinese culture and to build relationships with their Chinese Navy counterparts. Qingdao is a major seaport, naval base and industrial center in eastern China and served as the former home to U.S. 7th Fleet at the end of World War II. To see more of 7th Fleet's visit, head to their Facebook page or go to navy.mil.