German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated in the Philippines on Tuesday that Europe is worried about tensions in the disputed South China Sea, where a major flare-up could endanger freedom of navigation, as has occurred in the Strait of Hormuz.
During a joint appearance with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila, where Steinmeier is on a state visit, the German president referenced the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz resulting from the Iran war. He said European leaders are concerned about ongoing territorial confrontations in the South China Sea, particularly between the Philippines and China.
The United States does not claim territory in the South China Sea but has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to help defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships, or aircraft come under armed attack. China has repeatedly warned the U.S. not to interfere in the disputes, which also involve Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
"The situation in the South China Sea ... continues to be tense and that gives us cause to be concerned because the Indo-Pacific, in particular the region of Southeast Asia, is one of the most economically dynamic regions of the world," Steinmeier said through an interpreter. "If incidents occur in that part of the world that is also cause for great concern in Europe," he added. "Violations of the international law of the sea endanger the freedom of navigation as the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has brought home to us recently in a very drastic manner."
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which led to global spikes in fuel and fertilizer prices, was among the issues Steinmeier and Marcos discussed in a closed-door meeting. Steinmeier did not blame any specific country for tensions in the South China Sea, a key global trade route, but Germany has previously said China's actions in the disputed waters violate the rights of coastal states like the Philippines and threaten freedom of navigation.
During a visit to Manila in 2024, then German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said China's actions, which have led to minor collisions with Philippine vessels at sea, are of concern to Germany and other European countries "because such risky maneuvers violate rights and opportunities for economic development of your own country and other littoral states." Baerbock stated that China's claims "are not covered by international law," while calling for a peaceful resolution to the disputes. She visited the Philippine coast guard headquarters in Manila and boarded a patrol ship, where she briefly flew one of the surveillance drones donated by Germany.
On Tuesday, Steinmeier pledged Germany's continued support to the Philippine coast guard, which has been a frontline guardian of Manila's territorial interests and has been involved in several altercations in the waters with Chinese forces.
Marcos thanked Steinmeier and Germany "for consistently and publicly expressing its support for Philippine efforts to uphold the rule of law in the South China Sea, including by calling on all parties to abide by the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award." The 2016 arbitration ruling, citing the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. Beijing did not participate in the arbitration initiated by the Philippines, rejected its outcome, and continues to defy it.
