WILHELMSHAVEN, Germany -- 15 days into the maiden Indo-Pacific voyage of the German navy's Bayern frigate, its captain is still awaiting for an answer from Beijing on whether the vessel will be allowed to make a port call in Shanghai.
The German navy's press kit handed out at the Bayern's departure from Wilhelmshaven in northwestern Germany on August 2 listed port calls in Djibouti, Karachi, Diego Garcia, Perth, Guam, Tokyo, Incheon, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Colombo and Mumbai. While it will traverse the South China Sea, the Bayern will not sail within 12 nautical miles of Chinese-claimed features in the water, nor pass through the Taiwan Strait.
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