China has disputed Germany’s claim that it targeted a military plane with a laser fired from a warship, as a diplomatic spat between the two countries deepens.
Germany accused China of attempting to disrupt one of its aircraft earlier this month as it was taking part in European Union-led operations aimed at protecting ships in the Red Sea from missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebel group.
The German foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador and described the incident as “entirely unacceptable”. China’s envoy to the EU has also been summoned by the bloc.
Beijing has pushed back, saying Germany’s account was “totally inconsistent with the facts known by the Chinese side”.
On Tuesday, Germany said a reconnaissance plane was targeted as it flew over the Red Sea, where several European countries have been contributing to surveillance and defensive efforts since early 2024 to protect ships from regular attacks launched from Yemen.
The laser was fired from a Chinese warship, which had been spotted several times and had made no communication with the passing aircraft, Germany said.
The plane was forced to abandon its mission and return to a military base in the East African nation of Djibouti as a precaution, according to the foreign ministry.
Berlin has reacted furiously to the incident, accusing China of “endangering German personnel and disrupting the operation”.
EU foreign policy spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said the incident was “dangerous and unacceptable”.
“This act put personnel at risk and compromised the aircraft’s mission,” he added.
The Chinese government responded on Wednesday, with spokesperson Mao Ning telling a press conference that its navy had been carrying out “escort operations” in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.
She said Germany and China should “take a fact-based attitude and strengthen communication in a timely manner to avoid misunderstanding and misjudgement”.
China has been accused of using lasers to target military aircraft before, primarily by the US. China has denied doing so.
Lasers can be used to blind pilots, and a new class of powerful lasers capable of disabling targets in the air are under development by militaries around the world.
China established a permanent military presence in the region in 2017 when it opened a base in Djibouti, which Beijing says is used for anti-piracy and freedom of maritime navigation operations.
Western governments have expressed concerns about China’s ambitions in the region since opening the base in Djibouti, where the US, Japan, France and others also have military installations.
It is located at a strategically important pinch point leading on to the Red Sea and Suez Canal – one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
