Tensions between China and the United States and their allies have escalated after a German warship entered the South China Sea for the first time in 20 years, according to The Times. It is reported that the frigate "Bavaria" will cross the sea with a final stop in Singapore. As the newspaper notes, this step is a symbol of a new approach that Berlin will take under the new Chancellor Olaf Scholz - a joint opposition to China's "gunfire" in the region.
The German ship's voyage comes amid new US sanctions against China, a visit by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Southeast Asia, and statements by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "Military adventures undertaken by such major economic players as China will be suicide," Abe was quoted as saying. The politician also said that Beijing should not be allowed to provoke its neighbors in the region. Abe added that any attempt by China to engage in military aggression against Taiwan would be considered a state of emergency for Japan, allowing the country to implement collective defense measures.
China considers Taiwan its territory, recalls The Times. For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Washington and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region would oppose China's aggressive actions. "We are determined to ensure the safety of shipping in the South China Sea. "We will work with our allies and partners to protect the rule of law," Blinken was quoted as saying.
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