Southeast Asia - more than just a side issue in the Indo-Pacific: The strategic importance of the region for German foreign policy

Pia Dannhauer

No 26/2026, SWP Comments from Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), German Institute for International and Security Affairs

Abstract: The Federal President's trip in mid-June 2026, which took him to Indonesia and the Philippines, among other destinations, has once again signalled the growing awareness within German foreign policy of the importance of Southeast Asia. However, when it comes to Germany's relationship with the Indo-Pacific, Northeast Asia and India have so far received greater attention. Relations with Southeast Asia remain comparatively underdeveloped and driven by economic interests, with the primary aim of reducing dependence on China. Beyond its economic potential, however, the region has strategic significance in its own right: as an arena of great-power rivalry, a hub for global supply chains, and an increasingly vocal presence in multilateral forums. To strengthen its long-term interests in stability and a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific, Germany must deepen its cooperation with Southeast Asia - particularly as numerous actors are competing for influence there.

Keywords: Southeast Asia; Indo-Pacific; Indo-Pacific Guidelines (2020); People's Republic of China; Indonesia; Thailand; Malaysia; Philippines; Vietnam; Singapore; Association of Southeast Asian Nations; ASEAN; De-Risking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:swpcom:342574

DOI: 10.18449/2026C26

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