德國軍艦 - 在與北京緊張局勢中前往南中國海

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

German warship heads for South China Sea amid tension with Beijing

Mon., August 2, 2021, 6:45 a.m.

By Sabine Siebold

BERLIN, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Germany on Monday sent a warship to the South China Sea for the first time in almost two decades, joining other Western nations in expanding its military presence in the region amid growing alarm over China's territorial ambitions.

China claims swathes of the South China Sea and has established military outposts on artificial islands in the waters that contain gas fields and rich fishing.

The U.S. Navy, in a show of force against the Chinese territorial claims, regularly conducts so-called "freedom of navigation" operations in which their vessels pass close by some of the contested islands. China in turn objects to the U.S. missions, saying they do not help promote peace or stability.

Washington has put countering China at the heart of its national security policy and seeks to rally partners against what it says are Beijing's increasingly coercive economic and foreign policies.

Officials in Berlin have said the German navy will stick to common trade routes. The frigate is not expected to sail through the Taiwan Strait either, another regular U.S. activity condemned by Beijing.

Nevertheless, Berlin has made it clear the mission serves to stress the fact Germany does not accept China's territorial claims.

Germany is walking a tightrope between its security and economic interests as China has become Berlin's most important trading partner. German exports there have helped mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Europe’s biggest economy.

German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer travelled to the port of Wilhelmshaven to see the frigate Bayern off on its seven-month voyage that will take it to Australia, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

The vessel is expected to cross the South China Sea in mid-December, making it the first German warship to pass through the region since 2002.

"We want existing law to be respected, sea routes to be freely navigable, open societies to be protected and trade to follow fair rules," Kramp-Karrenbauer said.

Countries including Britain, France, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, have also been expanding their activity in the Pacific to counter China's influence. (Editing by Alison Williams)

Translation

柏林 - 8 月 2 日  ( 路透) - 德國周一向南海派遣軍艦。是近二十年來首次, 與其他西方國家一起擴大出現在該地區的軍力，以戒備中國的領土野心。

中國聲稱對大片南中國海擁有主權，並在含有氣田和豐富漁業的水域的人工島上建立了軍事哨站。

美國海軍用展示武力反對中國聲稱領土的主張，並經常進行所謂的“航行自由”行動，使其船隻靠近一些有爭議的島嶼。反過來, 中國抗議美國的行動，稱它們無助於促進和平或穩定。

華盛頓已將抗衡中國置於其國家安全政策的核心位置，並尋求團結夥伴, 對抗它所稱的北京日益強硬的脅迫經濟和外交政策。

柏林官員曾表示，德國海軍將航行在常規的貿易路線。預計它的艘護衛艦也不會穿過台灣海峽，這是北京譴責的另一項美國常規活動。

儘管如此，柏林已明確表示，此次行動旨在強調事實上德國不接受中國的領土主張。

隨著中國成為柏林最重要的貿易夥伴，德國正在其安全和經濟利益之間走鋼線。德國向那裡的出口, 幫助減輕了 COVID-19 病毒大流行對歐洲最大經濟體的影響。

德國國防部長Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer前往Wilhelmshaven港, 為Bayern號護衛艦為期七個月的航行送行，這艘護衛艦將前往澳大利亞、日本、韓國和越南。

該艦預計將於 12 月中旬穿越南中國海，成為自 2002 年以來第一艘穿越該地區的德國軍艦。

Kramp-Karrenbauer說： “我們希望現有法律得到尊重，海上航線可以自由航行，自由開放的社會受到保護，貿易規則被公平地遵循。”

包括英國、法國、日本、澳大利亞和新西蘭在內的國家也一直在擴大在太平洋的活動以對抗中國的影響。

              So, Germany is also showing its presence in South-east Asia. More than anything else it sends out a political message: Berlin makes clear that the mission serves to stress the fact Germany does not accept China's territorial claims. Among European countries, Germany has a better relationship with China so far. I don't  think Germany needs to worry too much that its trade relation with China because of  its naval mission to Asia as the latter is too busy in boycotting Australia and Canada now.