By Zhang Chi

Foreign media reported that Germany has frequently taken part in overseas military operations lately, its ambition to enhance regional military presence triggering many debates and worries in the international community.

Germany's frequent overseas operations

In general, Germany has recently enhanced its military deployments overseas, with Europe and Asia Pacific as the priority areas.

In Europe, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently said Germany will form the largest conventional forces among NATO's European members. It will also enhance military presence on the east wing of NATO and along the Baltic Sea to provide help for NATO’s East European members.

It is learned that the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, has begun to send commanding troops to Lithuania that will be stationed in this Baltic country, and troops in Germany will also go there regularly for exercises.

At the same time, Bundeswehr is being very active in other European countries too. Germany and the Netherlands even formed an Air and Missile Defence Task Force to protect Slovakia’s air space. By the same token, the German Air Force sent a team of five fighter jets to be stationed in Ämari, Estonia at the end of July, after participating in an operation protecting Romania's air space in early 2022.

In the Asia Pacific, Germany is closely watching the military development of the countries in this region and will assign more warships and hold exercises with its allies to expand its military presence.

In 2021, German frigate Bayern sailed to the Asia Pacific for a six-month training voyage, during which it visited Australia, America's Guam, and Japan, and hold joint military exercises with the allies. In August this year, Germany assigned 13 military planes to Australia for a joint exercise, after which they will flow to Singapore, Japan and ROK for more exercises. It also plans to send two warships to the Pacific Ocean for training.

Germany's military ambition calls for alert.

Germany's frequent military operations overseas recently are considered detrimental to regional security and stability.

On the one hand, they break the military balance in Europe. European media commented that the Bundeswehr hopes to break away from the previous shackles through these actions, and German media reported that the German government will allocate a 100 billion Euro (about 100.9 billion dollars) special fund to update and replenish equipment for the Bundeswehr. Such an ambitious military expansion plan has set other European countries on edge. Kaczyński, leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice party, said Germany's attempt to free itself from the current constitution may send the world down the same path leading to WWII and threaten the security of its neighbor Poland.

On the other hand, they damage the security and stability in the Asia Pacific. Britain's Reuters commented that Germany has been very cautious with its security policy after the end of WWII and paid more attention to trade when dealing with other countries. However, seeing western countries sticking their fingers in the Asia Pacific one after another in recent years, it becomes impatient and wants to insert its military presence there. In 2020, Germany released its guidebook on Asian Pacific diplomatic policy, taking the first step toward a broader plan for engaging in the region.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that the signal from the German government to militarily engage in one of the most geopolitically important regions in the world says much about its new strategic position.

Germany is moving faster in military expansion.

Analysts said German Bundeswehr's constant appearance in overseas military operations lately stems from NATO's defense vacuum in Europe caused by America's strategic shift to the east and from the security threats from the changing military situation in Europe. As the Bundeswehr seems to take the opportunity to strongly develop itself, its two tendencies are worth close attention and vigilance.

One is military adventurism. It is generally believed that Olaf Scholz steered Germany's defense policy toward the US and NATO after he came into power with a view to seeking a greater presence in the Pacific and other regions. As a result, the Bundeswehr's defense philosophy has gradually changed from constraint to proactivity, and Germany will only become more eager to reinforce and expand its deterrence with the ongoing military adventurism.

The other is exaggerated self-abasement. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the Bundeswehr has an extreme shortage of weapon inventory, which, according to analysts, is actually a carefully deliberated and crafted excuse for military build-up. Berlin may continue to play this trick as it promotes military development to meet the goal of building a strong military in the shortest time.