Germany’s involvement in the region

Germany enjoys close and extensive relations with Japan, our second-largest trading partner in Asia. The two countries are linked in tackling challenges in the field of security and economic resilience, as well as the question of how to deal with demographic change or ensure a climate-neutral energy supply. At multilateral level, Germany and Japan work closely together in formats such as the G7 and G20, but also within the United Nations framework. Recently there have been particularly frequent bilateral high‑level visits. Civil society exchange is vibrant. Since 1985, the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) has been promoting contacts in all areas of society. There are also numerous partnerships at the levels of municipalities and Länder/prefectures. Academic exchange in subjects ranging from the natural sciences to law is intensive.

Bilateral relations with our G20 partner South Korea (Republic of Korea), which stretch back for over 140 years, are close and based on mutual trust. As middle powers with export‑led economies, both countries are dependent on open markets, secure trade routes and a global order built on international law. South Korea is a major trading partner for Germany, playing a special role given its leading position in the high tech sector. The 2026 Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business is to be held in Seoul. Moreover, Korean culture, such as K‑pop, is very popular in Germany as elsewhere.

The Federal Republic of Germany has maintained diplomatic relations with North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) since 2001. Given the latter’s self-imposed isolation, however, there is hardly any exchange. Very little information about the worrying human rights situation comes out of the country. We strongly condemn the repeated missile launches, which violate the comprehensive United Nations sanctions regime imposed because of the North Korean nuclear weapons and missile programmes, as well as the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia.

Mongolia regards Germany as an important “third neighbour” alongside its direct neighbours China and Russia. During Federal President Steinmeier’s visit in 2024, agreement was reached on a Strategic Partnership. Germany supports the world’s most sparsely populated country in various ways, including through development cooperation.

As a regional power, Australia plays a key role in the Indo‑Pacific. An Enhanced Strategic Partnership has been in place between Germany and Australia since 2021. The country is an important trading partner for Germany and has huge potential in terms of rare earths and green energy. There are also strong cultural ties to Germany: many people in Australia have German roots, and learning German as a foreign language remains a popular choice. Academic exchange is flourishing, thanks to a large number of cooperation agreements between German and Australian universities.

New Zealand shares similar values and interests to Germany. Economic relations, too, are strong. For example, a free trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand entered into force on 1 May 2024, making trade between Germany and New Zealand easier in many respects. Germany is New Zealand’s prime trading partner in the EU. The Working Holiday Programme, which was introduced in 2000, is very popular, especially with pupils graduating high school, and is taken advantage of by about 20,000 Germans per year. It has played a tremendous part in promoting cultural exchange. The Goethe-Institut and academic cooperation agreements also help ensure vibrant exchange between the two countries.

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Germany is also engaged in the Pacific island states. The countries in this region are particularly affected by climate change and rising sea levels, even though they play hardly any role in global warming. As pioneers and committed partners, and given the strength of their voice in the United Nations, they are important allies in international climate policy and in our engagement for multilateralism and international law. This is the focus of Germany’s engagement and its cooperation with the region. Through the International Climate Initiative (IKI), Germany supports nature conservation, the expansion of sustainable drinking water infrastructure, independent electricity generation and the reduction of fossil emissions, for instance in coastal shipping. In order to intensify cooperation, Germany opened an Embassy in Suva, Fiji, in 2023. A further step in this process is the upcoming establishment of diplomatic relations with the Pacific island state Niue, a move approved by the Federal Cabinet on 7 January 2026.

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is an association of Pacific island states of which Australia and New Zealand are also members. PIF acts as a political coordination body and is central to cooperation in the region. Germany has been a dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum since 2016 and is constantly expanding its partnership with the “blue continent”, for instance via high‑level encounters and mutual visits. Further, Germany supports the Pacific Resilience Facility, a regional climate fund launched by PIF.

Click here to find out more about cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum.