GERMANY has announced it will deploy officers on Australian Navy ships in order to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The European nation said yesterday it boost military spending for next year despite the economic hit suffered by the coronavirus pandemic. It also said it would with NATO to strengthen relationships with allies such as Australia to “stand united against those who challenge us”.
The comments have been made by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Germany’s Defence Minister and head of the Christian Democratic Union political party.
The minister at times pointed to the positive relationship Germany has with China, referring to it as “an important trading partner” with “strong economic ties”.
However, she told the Sydney Morning Herald: “At the same time, we do not turn a blind eye on unequal investment conditions, aggressive appropriation of intellectual property, state-subsidised distortion of competition or attempts to exert influence by means of loans and investments.