Germany Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Alleged Laser Targeting of Military Aircraft

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

Berlin: Germany’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Berlin following allegations that a Chinese military vessel used a laser to target a German reconnaissance aircraft participating in EU Naval Operation Aspides in the Red Sea. The ministry described the incident as a “severe endangerment of personnel” and an unacceptable disruption to a European security operation.

“Endangering German personnel and obstructing EU maritime security efforts is completely unacceptable,” the ministry said in a statement on social platform X (formerly Twitter).

The Chinese Embassy in Berlin and officials from EUNAVFOR Aspides have yet to issue formal responses.

Operation Aspides is the European Union’s coordinated defensive maritime mission launched in response to increasing threats to international shipping in the Red Sea, particularly from Iran-backed Houthi attacks following the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023.

The mission, derived from the Ancient Greek word for “shields,” aims to protect commercial vessels from missile, drone, and piracy threats across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical global shipping corridor.

Germany has been an active participant since February 2024, contributing military aircraft and personnel under a Bundestag-approved mandate for up to 700 troops.

According to early reports, a German reconnaissance aircraft was allegedly targeted by a Chinese laser system while flying over international waters as part of its operational duties under the Aspides mission.

While the full extent of the threat posed to the aircraft and crew is still under investigation, German officials regard the act as a deliberate interference with an EU-sanctioned peacekeeping operation.

This is not the first time laser incidents have been reported involving military aircraft and maritime forces in contested zones. However, this is the first known case involving German forces in the Red Sea region during Operation Aspides.

The incident comes amid growing European concerns about Chinese involvement in critical global infrastructure and sea lanes, especially those outside the Indo-Pacific region.

EU and NATO officials have increasingly scrutinized China’s expanding naval footprint and its implications for global security and sovereignty norms.

Germany’s sharp diplomatic reaction signals a firm stance against external threats to European missions and underlines Berlin’s commitment to ensuring operational safety in volatile maritime corridors.

For more diplomatic developments and global defense news, visit: 🌐 www.safartitarjuman.com