German frigate’s forthcoming transit comes as Western allies step up ‘freedom of navigation’ passages in disputed sea

German Sachsen-class frigate the Hamburg (Bundeswehr photo)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A German frigate will traverse the South China Sea this summer for the first time since 2002, German officials confirmed Tuesday (March 1).
Officials in the country’s defense and foreign ministries told Reuters that the frigate, scheduled to embark on a trip to Asia in August, will traverse the South China Sea on the return leg of its journey.