China Denies German Accusation of Laser Use on Military Aircraft

China has denied Germany’s accusation that a Chinese naval vessel used a laser against a German military aircraft over the Red Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning issued the denial and stated that Germany’s claims were “not consistent with the facts,” according to a report by Bloomberg.

Mao claimed that China “fulfills its duties as a major power and promotes the security of international sea lanes.” She called for both sides to enhance communication “based on facts and in a timely manner to avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations.”

Germany stated on July 8 that a Chinese military vessel used a laser to target a German aircraft operating in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea as part of the European maritime security mission ASPIDES.

German media reported that the incident involved a P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft that was monitoring regional waters for Houthi activity and missile threats from Yemen.

The German Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador on July 8 to address the incident. A day later, Reuters reported that the European Union also summoned China’s ambassador to Brussels.