Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, announced on Sunday that the country will deploy two warships to the Indo-Pacific region in 2024. This decision comes amidst increasing tensions between China and Taiwan, as well as disputes over the South China Sea.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, a prominent security conference in Asia, Pistorius emphasized the importance of upholding the rules-based international order and protecting major maritime passages. He stated that the German Federal Government had already sent a frigate to the Indo-Pacific in 2021, and in 2024, they would deploy both a frigate and a supply ship to the region. Pistorius clarified that these deployments were not aimed at any specific nation, seemingly directed at China, and were dedicated to safeguarding the international order that all nations had agreed upon.
Germany’s decision to increase its military presence in the region reflects a delicate balance between its security concerns and economic interests, considering that China is its most significant trading partner. In 2021, a German warship made its first voyage to the South China Sea in nearly two decades, joining other Western countries in expanding their military presence in response to growing concerns over China’s territorial ambitions.
China claims vast areas of the South China Sea as its own, despite an international tribunal ruling against its legal basis for these claims. The country has constructed military facilities on artificial islands in the disputed waters, which are known for their natural gas fields and abundant fishing resources. Approximately 40% of Europe’s foreign trade passes through the South China Sea.
Germany’s decision to deploy warships to the Indo-Pacific region underscores its commitment to protecting the rules-based international order and ensuring the stability of maritime routes in an area of strategic importance.
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