Berlin — Germany has summoned the Chinese ambassador after accusing a Chinese warship of targeting a German aircraft with a laser during a European Union mission in the Red Sea.
The German Foreign Ministry condemned the act, calling it “completely unacceptable” and saying it endangered personnel and disrupted operations. The aircraft, part of the EU’s ASPIDES mission to secure international sea routes, was forced to abort its reconnaissance flight and landed safely in Djibouti.
Germany’s Defense Ministry stated that the aircraft—a Multi-Sensor Platform (MSP) or “flying eye”—has been operating since October and is run by a civilian contractor with German military involvement. The incident reportedly occurred earlier in July, with no prior communication from the Chinese vessel.
Despite the confrontation, Germany confirmed that the MSP deployment has since resumed.
China has not officially responded. Previously, Beijing denied similar laser-targeting allegations from the U.S. military, including a 2020 incident near Guam. Incidents involving Chinese forces and European NATO members remain rare.
The clash adds to growing EU concerns over Chinese influence in sensitive technologies and security matters.
