Germany says China has refused port stopover by warship

BERLIN (AP) — Germany said China has rejected a planned stopover of a German warship in a Chinese port. The frigate left Germany last month for a tour of the Indo-Pacific region as part of the German government’s effort to increase its activities there. A German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday that “after some consideration, China has decided that it does not want a port visit from the German frigate Bayern.” She added that Germany had “taken note of that.” Part of Germany’s recently announced new Indo-Pacific strategy includes an emphasis on free passage for ships, particularly through the Strait of Malacca that links the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean.