Germany's recent deployment of a warship into the South China Sea was a "teaser", Berlin hoped to dispatch additional ships and aircraft to Asia from 2023, said Germany's Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schonbach.
The vessel's foray into the contested region last week - the first such journey in nearly two decades - was a sign that Germany was "perpetuating" its activity in the region in "small steps", RT TV quoted Schonbach as saying on Tuesday while speaking from onboard the Bayern frigate.
Stressing that Germany's primary interest was in maintaining an international rules-based order in the region, Schonbach said that Berlin hoped to dispatch additional ships and aircraft to Asia from 2023.
The Bayern set sail for Asia with a crew of 200 in August. The following month, Germany claimed Beijing had denied the Brandenburg-class frigate entry into its harbours, which Schonbach suggested was a "political decision", according to RT TV.
Underlining that when a nation like Germany sends a ship, then there must have happened something in recent years, said Schonbach, emphasising that due to those happenings it is important enough to Germany to change the way of communication.
The German vessel in the South China Sea did not sail through the Taiwan Strait.
Schonbach said that this time Germany started with smaller steps. Probably, German vessels would cross the strait next time if needed, he added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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