China rejects Germany’s accusation of targeting aircraft with laser

ISTANBUL

Beijing on Wednesday rejected Germany's accusations that Chinese military targeted a German aircraft with a laser during an EU military operation in the Red Sea.

"What Germany has said is fully inconsistent with the facts,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a live-streamed news conference in Beijing.

Berlin on Tuesday summoned Chinese ambassador, accusing the Chinese military of using a laser to target a German aircraft participating in the EU operation ASPIDES.

“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,” Mao said.

The spokesperson urged the two sides for a “strengthened… fact-based and timely” communication to “avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation.”

According to the German magazine Spiegel, the aircraft involved was a German reconnaissance plane chartered for the mission. The incident occurred when the German aircraft came close to a Chinese frigate off the coast of Yemen.

The EU's ASPIDES mission in the Red Sea aims to protect the important trade route against attacks by the Houthis, who have been targeting commercial vessels to stop Western support for Israel's war on Gaza.

Currently, approximately 700 German military personnel are participating in the mission. In January, the German parliament extended the country's participation in the mission until the end of October 2025.