Germany’s growing military engagement in the Indo-Pacific — including its latest deployment of two warships to Japan — is intended to signal that Berlin won’t accept disruptions to key international sea lanes, its navy chief said in a veiled swipe at China.
Vice Adm. Jan Christian Kaack told The Japan Times in an exclusive interview that this is particularly the case as Beijing launches an “unprecedented” maritime armaments program, builds the world’s largest navy, creates artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea and “wants to gain control” over crucial sea routes.
“We cannot close our eyes to this as it would imply that we accept a new status quo,” he said.
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