Beijing to Berlin: clarify warship’s intentions in South China Sea or forget Shanghai visit
- The frigate Bayern arrived in the Indo-Pacific region on Monday with plans to cross the disputed waterway sometime in December
- A request to make a port call in Shanghai will not be considered without more information, according to China’s foreign ministry
The warship Bayern began its mission to the Indo-Pacific region on Monday and plans to cross the South China Sea – a flashpoint between China and the US and its allies – on its return journey in December. It will be the first German warship to do so since 2002, but will not pass within 12 nautical miles of any land in the disputed region.
In anticipation of her departure, German political leaders are crafting a new China policy on the hoof. Despite its status as a major trading partner, some view Merkel’s stance as out of step with German society, where concerns have been growing about an increasingly strident China.
The Bayern’s route includes Australia, Guam, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Singapore, according to a German defence ministry spokesman, who said it was not possible to give an exact date for its passage through the South China Sea several months in advance.
The spokesman reiterated comments by German defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer that the offer of a visit to Shanghai by the Bayern was “in order to maintain dialogue”.
China’s foreign ministry confirmed the port visit request from Berlin, which was first reported by Chatham House, a London-based independent policy institute.
“The German side has made requests to the Chinese side to arrange for its warship to visit Shanghai through multiple channels,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said.