Recently, German naval vessels have been making dangerous maneuvers in the Asia-Pacific region, increasing regional security risks and sending the wrong signal to forces in the area that rely on non-regional powers to stir up troubles. However, by attempting to showcase its military presence in the Asia-Pacific, Germany is not earning international respect; instead, it reveals a loss of common sense and rationality, presenting an embarrassing image as a country that has lost its way.
Two German warships, the frigate Baden-Württemberg and the supply ship Frankfurt am Main, arrived in Manila on Monday after passing through the Taiwan Straits and will remain in port until Thursday. This marks the first visit by German warships to the Philippines in over 20 years. According to Philippine media reports, during their stay in Manila, the German warships will conduct exercises with the Philippine Navy, aimed at “building and strengthening long-lasting relations between the German and Philippine armed forces.”
Germany stated that the port call by its warships, in light of the strained relations between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea dispute, reaffirms its commitment to “a free and open Indo-Pacific region and the rules-based international order,” rhetoric commonly used by the US.
In fact, the similarity extends beyond rhetoric to actions. This year has seen frequent interactions between German and Philippine officials, with the two countries even pledging last month to sign a defense cooperation agreement by the end of the year to “uphold international rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.” This series of moves raises concerns about whether Germany’s South China Sea policy might become more aligned with that of the US.
The Philippines has just awkwardly withdrawn an illegally anchored vessel from China’s Xianbin Jiao but stated that, despite the temporary withdrawal, it will “continuously deploy” coast guard vessels there.
Germany’s actions at this moment will only embolden Manila to continue its risky provocations.
Experts believe the series of actions aimed at boosting Germany’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region, including strengthening military cooperation with the Philippines, is part of Germany’s “security protection racket” to the US. To prove its “importance” to Washington, Berlin aligns itself more closely with the US’ “Indo-Pacific Strategy,” constantly invoking the US-crafted rhetoric of “upholding freedom of navigation” in the region.
Germany is facing an increasingly awkward situation at home: The coalition government has just suffered a major blow in the Thuringia state election. This has prompted certain factions within the government to shift focus to military posturing in the distant Asia-Pacific, hoping to divert domestic attention.
Germany has also made little progress in the current fractured state of European security and merely follows the lead of the US. It has escalated its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, from the Taiwan Straits to the South China Sea. Instead of focusing on developing trade, expanding markets, and fostering connectivity, Germany is drawing on its increasingly strained fiscal resources to fund its military ambitions in the Asia-Pacific, all in pursuit of an imagined sense of regional security. What we are witnessing is a Germany that has lost its way in the quest for relevance, placing itself at greater risk in exchange for a so-called security guarantee.
If Germany returned to common sense and reason, it could maintain its economic growth, political stability, and social prosperity through more effective means. Instead of continuously flaunting military power overseas under the guise of “defending freedom of navigation,” Germany politicians should reform themselves, confront domestic issues head-on and focus on actions that truly contribute to regional peace and stability. Only by doing so, can Germany earn respect from the outside world.
GT
