China is challenging Germany’s claim that it targeted military planes with lasers fired from warships as diplomatic nausea deepens.
Germany accused China earlier this month of trying to disrupt one of its aircraft as it was participating in a European Union-led project aimed at protecting ships in the Red Sea from missiles launched by Houthi rebel groups in Yemen.
The German Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador and described the incident as “completely unacceptable.” China’s EU envoy has been summoned by the bloc, Reuters reported.
Beijing was pushed back by stating that Germany’s explanation was “completely inconsistent with the facts that China knows.”
On Tuesday, Germany said the reconnaissance plane was targeted while flying through the Red Sea. It said that European countries have been contributing to surveillance and defensive efforts since early 2024 to protect ships from regular attacks from Yemen.
The laser was fired from a Chinese warship, discovered several times, and had no communication with the planes that passed, Germany said.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the plane has abandoned its mission and was forced to return to military bases in Djibouti in East Africa as a precaution.
Berlin reacted violently to the incident, accusing China of “putting German officials at risk and disrupting the operation.”
The Chinese government responded on Wednesday, and spokesman Mao Zedong told a press conference that the navy was running “escort operations” in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.
She said Germany and China should “have factual attitudes and strengthen communication in a timely manner to avoid misunderstandings and misunderstandings.”
China has been accused of using lasers to target military aircraft earlier, primarily by the US. China has denied doing so.
Lasers can be used to blind pilots, and a new class of powerful lasers is being developed by military forces around the world that can disable targets in the air.
China established a permanent military presence in the region when it opened its base in Djibouti in 2017.
The Western government has been expressing concern about China’s ambitions in the region since the US, Japan and France opened bases in Djibouti, where military facilities are held.
It lies at a strategically important pinch point following the Red Sea and Suez Canal, one of the most important transport routes in the world.
