Overview

• Two German naval vessels, the frigate Baden-Württemberg and the supply ship Frankfurt am Main, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Friday.
• This marks Germany's first transit of the strait in 22 years, highlighting a significant shift in its defense strategy in the Asia-Pacific region.
• China condemned the move, labeling it as a provocation and a threat to its sovereignty and security.
• German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized that the strait is international waters and the route was chosen for its safety and efficiency.
• The transit aligns Germany with the US and other Western allies, who regularly conduct freedom of navigation operations in the strait to challenge China's territorial claims.