BERLIN: Germany will, for the first time, send troops to Australia as part of joint drills with about 30,000 service members from 12 other nations, underlining Berlin's increased focus on the Indo-Pacific.
"It is a region of extremely high importance for us in Germany as well as for the European Union due to the economic interdependencies", Army Chief Alfons Mais told Reuters in an interview published on Monday (Jul 10), hours before the first German troops were to leave for Australia.
China is Berlin's most important trading partner, and 40 per cent of Europe's foreign trade flows through the South China Sea, a waterway that is a focal point for territorial disputes in the Indo-Pacific.
In 2021, a German warship sailed into the South China Sea for the first time in almost 20 years. Last year, Berlin sent 13 military aircraft to joint exercises in Australia, the air force's largest peacetime deployment.
Mais said up to 240 German soldiers, among them 170 paratroopers and 40 marines, will take part in the Talisman Sabre exercise from Jul 22 to Aug 4, the largest drills between Australia and the US, held bi-annually.
The Germans will train in jungle warfare and landing operations alongside soldiers from countries such as Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, France and Britain.
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"We aim to demonstrate that we are reliable and capable partners that contribute to stabilizing the rules-based order in the region", Mais said.
When asked what message the first deployment of German troops to Australia was meant to send to China, he underscored Berlin did not aim to antagonise anybody.
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