According to Reuters, a Spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said on September 15 that China had refused to let the German frigate Bavaria dock in Chinese ports.
"China has decided that it does not want the Bavaria to visit the port, and we have taken note of this." The spokesperson said.
The Bavaria departed from Wilhelmshaven, Germany, on 2 August this year for a six-month voyage to the Indo-Pacific region, passing through the South China Sea.
Hong Kong's South China Morning Post noted that this was the first time in nearly 20 years that the German Navy had made a similar deployment to "show Germany's presence in the Indo-Pacific region."
German media said that in March this year, just after the German Ministry of Defense announced that the "Bavaria" would cruise the "Indo-Pacific region" and cross the South China Sea, there was news that Germany on the one hand declared its support for the so-called "freedom of navigation in the South China Sea" to the United States and other allies, and on the other hand, hoped that the frigate could visit Shanghai Port or Qingdao Port. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung pointed out at the time that German warships seeking to visit Chinese ports while cruising the Indo-Pacific made the United States and other allies suspicious.
By the summer, it was reported that Beijing still had not decided whether to allow the Bavaria to dock in Chinese ports, and it was likely to wait and wait until after the German federal election on September 26.
The South China Morning Post reported on August 3 that the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed Berlin's request, saying that the German side had made a request to the Chinese side through various channels to arrange for a German warship to visit Shanghai. However, the Chinese side said: "Regarding the operation of this warship, the information released by the German side before and after is too confusing, and the Chinese side will make a decision after the German side fully clarifies the relevant intentions." ”
"Bavaria" Image source: seaforces online
With the German side confirming That China's refusal to call in, the Bavaria, which is currently in the Indian Ocean, is expected to visit Australia, Guam, Japan, and South Korea, and then enter the waters of the South China Sea in mid-December, visit Vietnam and Singapore, cross the Strait of Malacca, and then stop in Sri Lanka and Djibouti, and finally return to Germany early next year.
Although it will cross the South China Sea, the Bavaria is not expected to be close to any waters with disputed sovereignty, bypass the Taiwan Strait, and has no plans to conduct joint exercises with the U.S. military.
As the Bavaria set sail in early August, German Defense Minister Karenbauer said in a statement that the operation was aimed at "safeguarding freedom of navigation in international waters," protecting "open societies" and expressing support for regional partners who share German values. German Foreign Minister Maas also claimed that the Bavaria marked that Germany was "assuming the responsibility of maintaining the international order."
However, the voyage caused controversy in Germany, with Rolf Mützenich, chairman of the SPD's parliamentary caucus, telling the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in August: "It is essential not to escalate the situation with unconsidered provocations." ”
Nils Schmid, a spokesman for the SPD's foreign affairs, argued that while the Bavaria visit to the "Asia-Pacific region" was symbolic, from a military point of view, "its contribution was modest" because the United States would be more active in the "Indo-Pacific" region, while Europe would focus on the "backyard" of Africa and the Middle East.
At a regular news conference held by the Foreign Ministry on July 30, in response to a question from the Japanese media about the German Navy's dispatch of ships to the Indo-Pacific region, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that warships of relevant countries should earnestly abide by international law when sailing in the South China Sea, respect the sovereignty and rights and interests of coastal states, and refrain from doing anything that undermines regional peace and stability.
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