China Dismisses Laser-Targeting German Plane Allegations
(MENAFN) China firmly dismissed Germany’s allegations that its military targeted a German aircraft with a laser during an EU naval operation in the Red Sea.
At a live-streamed press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated, "What Germany has said is fully inconsistent with the facts.”
The German government responded on Tuesday by summoning the Chinese ambassador, accusing Beijing’s military of deploying a laser against a German reconnaissance plane involved in the EU’s ASPIDES mission.
Mao emphasized China’s naval operations in the Gulf of Aden and near Somalia serve a global role: “The Chinese navy’s escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia, fulfill responsibility as a major country and contributes to safety of shipping lines.”
She called for enhanced communication between Beijing and Berlin, urging “strengthened… fact-based and timely” dialogue to “avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation.”
According to a German magazine, the laser incident took place when the German reconnaissance aircraft, chartered for the mission, approached a Chinese frigate near Yemen’s coastline.
The EU’s ASPIDES operation in the Red Sea is designed to safeguard a vital maritime trade corridor from attacks by Houthi forces, who have targeted commercial vessels in an effort to hinder Western support for Israel amid the Gaza conflict.
Currently, about 700 German troops are deployed in the mission, with Germany’s parliament approving the extension of their involvement through October 2025 as of January this year.
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