MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - China will send its foreign minister to the Munich Security Conference for the first time this week, in a further sign of Beijings growing military clout a year into Barack Obamas US presidency. The 46-year-old gathering in Germany has its roots in the Cold War and has traditionally stuck to areas of common interest to Washington and Europe. Alongside Chinas Yang Jiechi, senior representatives from India and Pakistan were also expected, with John Kerry, James Jones, Richard Holbrooke, Hamid Karzai, Ban Ki-moon and Sergei Lavrov. We can only answer todays security questions if we are ready to think globally, said Wolfgang Ischinger, the veteran German diplomat who organises Munich. And that means involving Asia. with Washington sending Senator John Kerry, National Security Advisor James Jones and Afghanistan-Pakistan envoy Richard Holbrooke. Others include Afghan President Hamid Karzai, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. It was unclear, however, if Iranian officials would attend as in previous years. We can only answer todays security questions if we are ready to think globally, said Wolfgang Ischinger, the veteran German diplomat who organises Munich. And that means involving Asia.