German Navy in Taiwan, Who's afraid of Chinese EV's and New Asia Boss in Foreign Ministry
Welcome to this week's edition of the Germany in Asia Newsletter!
This week, we have a shorter edition due to the bank holidays, but it's still packed with great content. We'll cover the possibility of the German Navy crossing the Taiwan Strait despite Chinese discontent. Additionally, we'll update you on the questionable success of Chinese EVs in Germany. Finally, we'll update you on the latest positional changes in the German Foreign Ministry.
Let's get going!
German Navy to cross Taiwan Straight
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has not ruled out the possibility of the frigate "Baden-Württemberg" crossing the Taiwan Strait during its upcoming Pacific mission. During her visit to New Zealand on Saturday, the Green Party politician stated that the route of the warship and a supply ship would not be disclosed in advance.
Baerbock emphasized that the "right of innocent passage" applies to the Taiwan Strait, asserting that the same rules apply there as in all comparable maritime areas where German and other ships navigate. The joint exercise mission of the two ships is based on this principle.
The frigate "Baden-Württemberg" and the supply ship "Frankfurt am Main" are embarking on a world tour starting Tuesday, passing through the Panama Canal to reach the Pacific and later crossing the South China Sea. A similar mission took place from August 2021 to February 2022, during which the frigate "Bayern" participated in maneuvers with allies but avoided sailing near Taiwan.
Source: Handelsblatt
How do Chinese EV’s perform on the German market?
When the "BYD Explorer No.1" docked in Bremerhaven at the end of February, unloading 3000 vehicles at Germany's largest overseas car terminal, concerns arose regarding the influx of "cheap Chinese electric cars" warned against by Ursula von der Leyen. This concern led the EU Commission President to consider imposing tariffs on Chinese car imports.
However, two months later, there is little evidence of a flood of electric vehicles (EVs) from China. According to the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), only 160 new vehicles from China's largest EV manufacturer, BYD, were registered in Germany in March. Furthermore, the vehicles unloaded in Bremerhaven, destined for delivery across Europe, are currently facing delays, attributed to market demand, as confirmed by the logistics service provider BLG.
Benjamin Kibies, an auto analyst at the industry service Dataforce, suggests that the current dip in EV demand in Germany may delay BYD's further expansion plans. In 2023, BYD registered 15,600 cars in Europe, with over 4000 in Germany. If the weak numbers persist in Germany, BYD's sales in the country for 2024 could even fall below the previous year's figures.
Source: Handelsblatt
Germany’s New Top Diplomat for a Asia
Annalena Baerbock, the Green Party's Foreign Minister, has chosen diplomat Frank Hartmann to head the Asia department of the German Foreign Office. Hartmann will replace Petra Sigmund, who is set to become the ambassador to Tokyo in the summer. Currently, the 58-year-old Hartmann is serving as the head of the German Embassy in Cairo, and he previously held the position of Crisis Coordinator at the Foreign Office. Hartmann has extensive experience in Asia, having studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in the late 1980s, served at the embassy in Tokyo, and twice at the German mission in Beijing.
Following Hartmann's appointment, Jürgen Schulz, the current ambassador to Ankara, is slated to succeed him. However, there is still uncertainty surrounding another crucial personnel decision at the Foreign Office. The appointment of the head of Political Department 2 remains undecided. This position, known as the Political Director, is the most significant below the level of State Secretary. Tjorven Bellmann, the current Political Director, is set to become the ambassador to Canada soon.
Source: Der Spiegel
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