BEIJING: Beijing dismissed on Wednesday (Jul 9) claims by Berlin that the Chinese military had directed a laser at a German aircraft over the Red Sea as “completely inconsistent with the facts”.
The foreign ministry in Berlin said on Tuesday that a German aircraft participating in a “routine” EU-led mission to protect marine traffic in the Red Sea had been targeted by a laser, endangering personnel.
Its counterpart in Beijing rejected the accusation.
“Both sides should adopt a pragmatic attitude, strengthen communication in a timely manner, and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
She said Chinese naval vessels had been carrying out escort duties in the Gulf of Aden and in Somali waters, “contributing to the safety of international shipping lanes”.
Describing the incident as “entirely unacceptable”, Berlin said the reconnaissance aircraft involved had been forced to abandon its mission and returned to a base in Djibouti.
It was not immediately clear whether the laser was a weapon or a laser guidance system.
