China has forcefully rejected Germany’s allegations that a Chinese warship targeted a German reconnaissance aircraft with a military-grade laser in the Red Sea, dismissing the claims as “totally inconsistent with facts.” The dispute marks a significant deterioration in relations between Beijing and Berlin, coming just weeks after Germany joined EU-led maritime security operations against Houthi rebel attacks near Yemen.
The German foreign ministry took the rare step of summoning China’s ambassador following the February incident, which forced a German P-3C Orion surveillance plane to abort its mission and return to Djibouti’s Camp Lemonnier base. European Union officials in Brussels similarly called in China’s EU ambassador, with both Germany and the bloc condemning the alleged laser strike as “entirely unacceptable” and a threat to military personnel.
China’s Counterclaims: Anti-Piracy Missions and Western Suspicion
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning defended the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s presence, stating their ships were conducting routine “escort operations” in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia’s coast. The response follows years of Western scrutiny over China’s first overseas military base in Djibouti, operational since 2017 and located strategically near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – a critical chokepoint for global shipping entering the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
While China denies weaponizing lasers, military analysts note such systems can temporarily blind pilots or potentially disable aircraft sensors at higher intensities. The U.S. Navy has previously accused China of similar incidents in the Pacific, including a 2018 case where two American pilots suffered eye injuries. Defense experts warn these confrontations may increase as nations develop directed-energy weapons capable of disrupting electronics and optics at range.
Why It Matters
This marks at least the fourth public allegation of Chinese forces targeting foreign aircraft with lasers since 2018, though Beijing consistently attributes such reports to Western misinformation. The recurring pattern has fueled suspicions among NATO members about China’s compliance with international norms governing military conduct, particularly regarding the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons which Beijing ratified in 1998.
As both nations trade accusations, spokesperson Mao Ning urged Germany to adopt a “fact-based attitude” and improve communication channels to prevent future misunderstandings. However, defense experts have suggested that the incident may accelerate European efforts to limit technological cooperation with China, particularly in dual-use sectors like photonics and quantum sensing that could enhance laser weapon capabilities.
