German warship heads for South China Sea amid tension with Beijing

Members of a Marine brass band play for their comrades as the frigate "Bayern" of the German Marine leaves the port of Wilhelmshaven, northern Germany, on Aug 2, 2021. - AFP

BERLIN (Reuters): Germany on Monday (Aug 2) sent a warship to the South China Sea for the first time in almost two decades, joining other Western nations in expanding its military presence in the region amid growing alarm over China's territorial ambitions.

China claims swathes of the South China Sea and has established military outposts on artificial islands in the waters that contain gas fields and rich fishing.