"Kaiser Friedrich II" finally assumed her role as II Division flagship on 24 January 1900, when Büchsel transferred his flag to the ship. On 2 April, I Squadron steamed to Danzig Bay, where they stayed for four days. The next month, they began a cruise into the North Sea on 7 May; during the trip, the ships made stops in Lerwick in the Shetland Islands from 12 to 15 May and Bergen, Norway, from 18 to 22 May. They arrived back in Kiel four days after leaving Bergen. In early July, the four "Brandenburg"-class battleships were sent to Asia to suppress the Boxer Rebellion, prompting a reorganization of the "Heimatflotte". "Kaiser Friedrich III" and were the only battleships available for the annual fleet maneuvers, which were conducted from 15 August to 15 September. They were joined by the armored frigates and and six and s. Throughout the maneuvers, "Kaiser Friedrich III" was assigned to the "German" force, which had to combat a hostile "Yellow" squadron. Thereafter, Büchsel became the deputy commander of I Squadron, but he remained aboard "Kaiser Friedrich III" only briefly before transferring his flag to the ironclad "Württemberg". "Konteradmiral" Max von Fischel replaced him on 30 September, but "Kaiser Friedrich III" went into drydock for her annual overhaul shortly thereafter.