Springboard into the Pacific Region

BERLIN/CANBERRA (Own report) – To reinforce its position in the Pacific region, Berlin is initiating a regular dialogue with Australia at foreign and defense ministerial levels. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier are participating in the first “German-Australian 2+2 Dialogue” held today in Berlin. The meeting, which will be repeated at regular intervals, is one of the measures initiated in early 2013 to enhance cooperation between Berlin and Canberra, in light of the shift of global policy priority from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In view of its growing economic and political importance, Washington considers China to be its main rival of the future. Therefore US President George W. Bush (2002) and US Foreign Minister Hillary Clinton (2011) explicitly declared this to be “America’s Pacific Century,” and Washington has begun redeploying its military forces closer to the People’s Republic of China. Explicitly claiming to “help shape the global order,” Berlin also feels obliged to reinforce its position in that region.

China shows off missile ‘able to destroy aircraft carriers’ at massive WW2 parade

Chinese President Xi Jinping inspects the troops Photo: Xinhua/REX Shutterstock

 

Some 12,000 troops file past President Xi Jinping in Beijing, along with formations of tanks and armoured vehicles as warplanes screamed overhead.

China showed off a new missile reportedly capable of destroying an aircraft carrier on Thursday as it flexed its military muscle with a huge parade marking 70 years since the defeat of Japan in World War Two.

The parade, which was shunned by most Western leaders, witnessed 12,000 troops file past President Xi Jinping, along with formations of tanks and armoured vehicles as warplanes screamed overhead.