US Calls German Warship’s Plan to Sail South China Sea Support for Rules-Based Order

A Chinese coast guard ship sails along the area of the joint search and rescue exercise between Philippine and U.S. coastguards near Scarborough shoal in the South China Sea, on May 14, 2019. Ted Aljibe/AFP via Getty Images

WASHINGTON—The United States on Wednesday hailed plans by NATO ally Germany to sail a warship across the contested South China Sea, calling it welcome support for a “rules-based international order” in the region, something Washington says is threatened by China.

German government officials said on Tuesday a German frigate would set sail for Asia in August and, on its return journey, become the first German warship to cross the South China Sea since 2002.