China denies request for German frigate to make port call in Shanghai
- The warship Bayern set off last month on a six-month trip to bolster the German presence in the Indo-Pacific
- Decision comes after weeks of stalling by Beijing
China has turned down a request from Germany for one of its warships, which is sailing through the Indo-Pacific in show of support of its allies, to make a port call at Shanghai, according to the German foreign ministry.
The 4,000-tonne frigate Bayern set off from Wilhelmshaven on August 2 for a six-month journey to the Indo-Pacific to strengthen German presence in the region, the first such trip by the German navy in 20 years.
But Beijing denied its request to stop in Shanghai, the German foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
“After a period of reflection, China has decided that it does not want a port visit by the German frigate Bayern and we have taken note of that,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Adebahr told reporters in Berlin.
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The denial dealt a blow to the German hope that a stop in Shanghai could help defuse tensions over the naval mission.