Germany’s defence chief calls China a ‘systemic challenge’ as Berlin ramps up military presence in Asia
- Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has called for greater military cooperation with ‘like-minded’ countries such as Australia
- She says the ‘rules-based international order’ is “absolutely necessary’ in a warning about the risk of territorial conflicts in the Indo-Pacific
In candid remarks made against the backdrop of uncertainty about the outcome of the United States presidential election, German defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on Thursday said Berlin would boost defence cooperation with Australia and other nations in the region to uphold peace, stability and the “rules-based international order”.
Speaking in a webinar that also featured Australian defence minister Linda Reynolds, Kramp-Karrenbauer said Germany and Australia were united by shared values such as the rule of law, human rights and freedom of navigation, whereas some other countries were “not prepared to accept these principles”.
“A rules-based international order for us is absolutely necessary,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said through an interpreter during the event, which was organised by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a Canberra-based think tank. “We need that because that is also the basis of economic success.”
The remarks by Germany’s top defence official came after Berlin this week announced it would send a frigate to patrol the Indian Ocean from next year, and deploy German Army officers with the Australian navy as part of an unprecedented ramping-up of its presence in Asia.
“I’m convinced that if like-minded nations, such as our nations, work together and join forces – and we must do that to defend our values and interests in the world – we can achieve a lot,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said.
