German warships visit the Philippines amid its South China Sea clashes after angering Beijing by sailing through the Taiwan Strait

• Two German Navy ships are visiting the Philippines for the first time in over 20 years.
• The port call comes amid clashes between Chinese and Philippines vessels in the South China Sea.
• The German ships just transited the Taiwan Strait, which sparked anger in China.

Two German warships are visiting the Philippines for the first time in over 20 years after making a notable transit through the . “It’s the shortest and, given the weather conditions, the safest route. So we are passing through.”

In a regular press conference last Friday, Mao said China “firmly” opposes ” any act of provocation under the pretext of freedom of navigation that harms China’s sovereignty and security.”

The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command took things further, saying “the German side’s behavior increases security risks and sends the wrong signal,” while the Chinese embassy in Berlin said that “the question of Taiwan is not a matter of ‘freedom of navigation,’ but of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”