The German Navy ships that transited the Taiwan Strait last month received close scrutiny and repeated radio messages from Chinese vessels, the German task group's commander said on Wednesday (October 2), but there was no unsafe behavior.
The frigate FGS BadenWurttemberg and logistics ship FGS Frankfurt am Main were "shadowed by Chinese surface vessels" who sent radio messages that the South China Sea waters were theirs by law, said Rear Admiral Axel Schulz, adding the German ships responded that they were in international waters exercising freedom of navigation.

The two German ships were there as part of their country's second IndoPacific deployment, a mission to conduct exercises with allies and partners, and to ensure freedom of the seas, Schulz said. They traveled to the Philippines after their strait passage, then headed to Singapore, where they arrived on Wednesday.
Germany's ambassador to Singapore Bettina Fanghanel said the ships' presence was important because it showed her country's commitment to partners in the region, adding that it has vital interests in the IndoPacific. "It's important for me to stress that we are here to stay," she said.
(Production: Feline Lim)

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