German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, on his first trip to Japan since taking office, accused Beijing of “increasingly aggressive” actions in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China Seas. He warned that any escalation in these shipping lanes would carry global security and economic consequences, adding that “fundamental principles of our global coexistence are at stake here.” Wadephul and his Japanese counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya, used the visit to launch the inaugural Japan-Germany Foreign Ministerial Strategic Dialogue in Tokyo on 18 August. The ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation on economic security, including bolstering supply chains for semiconductors and critical minerals, and reaffirmed shared support for a “just and lasting” peace in Ukraine. Beijing rejected Wadephul’s remarks within hours. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the East and South China Seas are “generally stable” and urged “relevant parties” to resolve disputes through dialogue rather than “inciting confrontation and hyping up tensions.” She reiterated that the Taiwan issue is an internal matter for China.