Developments on the continent will play a decisive role in shaping the international order of the 21^st century, and will also have an impact on Germany’s security and prosperity. The only way to successfully tackle truly global issues such as climate change is for us to act in concert with Asian partners. German policy on Asia takes these dimensions into account.

Asia plays a very significant role in international politics. With more than 4.5 billion people, the continent is home to over half of the global population, as well as to immense cultural and religious diversity. The Federal Government’s Policy guidelines for the Indo-Pacific of 2020, along with the Federal Government's Strategy on China of July 2023, provide the strategic framework for German foreign policy in the region. In addition, there is a focus on the comprehensive deepening of relations with India and with countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). For relations with the Asia-Pacific region, as well, the only way for Europe to effectively defend its interests is by standing united. This is why the Federal Government advocates for the strengthening of relations between the European Union and Asia-Pacific countries.

Security and stability within the region also contribute significantly to security and prosperity in Germany and the European Union. Against this background, Germany is continuously intensifying its security cooperation with Asia-Pacific partners and notes with concern that uncertainties and tensions in the region have increased.

The region is considered an engine for the global economy. More than one third of today's global gross national product is generated here, with this share expected to increase to one half by the year 2050. The region is also of great economic importance for Germany and the EU – as a trading partner, a location for investment and a producer of critical technologies such as semiconductors. The Asia-Pacific is crucial for diversifying Germany’s economic relations and recruiting skilled workers. Germany is also working within the European Union to deepen trade relations with Asia-Pacific countries.

Furthermore, the continent plays a key role in global efforts to limit climate change. More than 50 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are generated in the region; at the same time, many Asia-Pacific countries are disproportionately feeling the effects of climate change. In the Pacific, entire countries are at risk of becoming uninhabitable or disappearing. Germany supports its partners with a view to achieving a socially just and sustainable transformation of energy systems and in their efforts to adapt to climate change. Germany currently maintains Embassies in 23 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In August 2023, Germany opened its newest Embassy there, in Suva, Fiji. Germany’s cooperation with the region is comprehensive and inclusive, and it takes the continent’s current diversity into account. Compliance with international law, the central role of good governance and the protection of human rights, as well as the involvement of civil society in political processes, are key elements of German foreign policy, including in the Asia-Pacific region.