German warships to pass through Taiwan Strait

FRANKFURT: Two German warships are set to pass through the sensitive Taiwan Strait in the middle of this month, becoming the first German naval vessels to do so in 22 years, Spiegel magazine reported on Saturday. Media reported last month that the warships were awaiting orders from Berlin to sail the Strait, prompting a rebuke to Germany from Beijing. Spiegel cited unspecified sources as saying Beijing would not be formally notified of the German ships’ passage to emphasise that Berlin views the trip as normal. Germany’s defence ministry declined to comment. While the United States and other nations, including Canada, have sent warships through the strait in recent weeks, it would be the German navy’s first passage since 2002.