Germany's Bundeswehr sends a strong signal to China in Indo-Pacific exercise

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has described the participation of the Bundeswehr in an international military exercise in the Indo-Pacific as a 'strong signal' to China. Pistorius emphasized that Germany stands 'on the side of those who are under pressure' and that maintaining freedom of navigation through the South China Sea is crucial.

The exercise, called Rimpac 24, involved around 24,000 troops from 29 countries, including the German frigate 'Baden-Württemberg' and the supply ship 'Frankfurt am Main.' The goal of the exercise, according to Pistorius, is to 'show the flag' in the Indo-Pacific region.

Pistorius also plans to travel to South Korea to enforce sanctions against North Korea and to the Philippines, which have become geopolitically important due to China's claims over the South China Sea and Taiwan. Additionally, Pistorius called for an increase in Germany's military spending, urging higher defense expenditure than the NATO two-percent target, citing concerns over threats from Russia and China.