“In light of escalating tension in the maritime areas off the Chinese coast, German foreign policy experts are analyzing the diverse interests at stake and the possibilities for intervention.” China is in dispute with Japan over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. The nearby maritime sea routes are the channel for approximately 80 percent of its energy imports.
Britain, France and the United States have capabilities to intervene should it become necessary because they have naval bases in the area. Berlin does not.
Japan is not the only country in dispute with China for various small Islands in and around shipping routes in the East and South China Seas. Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia along the Straits of Malacca, an extremely important shipping lane to China, are in the crosshairs of what China calls the “Malacca problem.”
The Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam also have disputes with China over the Paracel and Spratly Islands they claim as their own.
Berlin is considering what could happen if there should be war in East Asia over these islands or other issues. Great Britain, France and the United States would be operational, but Germany would not. There is now discussion of Germany maintaining a naval base in the Indian Ocean to rectify this deficit. Germany has a long history of a presence in the Indian Ocean especially in collaboration with the U.S. Navy to serve German “core interests” which stretch all the way to East Asia.
While Berlin has yet to endorse such a plan in its foreign policies, the discussion indicates the “direction the debate in Berlin’s foreign policy establishment is headed,” especially in light of the escalating struggle between China, its neighbors and the west.
As Germany resurrects her military machine, watch for Berlin to expand its military power and presence and involvement in international geopolitical conflicts on an increasingly global scale.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars.” Matthew 24:6
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