Subthreshold act of war: Chinese military lasers strike German jet in the Red Sea

A grave incident has rocked relations between Germany and China, casting a harsh light on Beijing's complex and often opaque presence in global maritime routes. The German Foreign Ministry today announced it summoned the Chinese ambassador in Berlin following a laser attack on a German military aircraft involved in the EU's "EUNAVFOR Aspides" mission in the Red Sea. The incident, deemed "completely unacceptable" by the Ministry, is not an isolated event. Instead, it's part of a deliberate and escalating pattern of using advanced laser systems by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) and Coast Guard to intimidate and endanger foreign forces in crucial global maritime zones. Beijing, a major beneficiary of global trade, continues to display a blatant disregard for international safety and established norms, increasingly resorting to dangerous tactics that push the boundaries of conflict, from electronic warfare to aggressive maneuvers, demonstrating a flagrant irresponsibility.

The German aircraft was part of the approximately 700 German soldiers deployed to Operation Aspides, extended by the Bundestag in late January. The EU-led mission has the vital task of protecting merchant ships from relentless attacks by Yemeni Houthi militias, who have targeted commercial traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the start of the Gaza conflict. The Houthis, part of the Iran-led "Axis of Resistance" alongside Hamas and Hezbollah, represent a persistent threat to freedom of navigation—a freedom that China, as a global trading power, should have every interest in defending.

But this laser attack is not merely a disruptive act; it's a disturbing signal of rising tensions and an evolving, dangerous Chinese naval doctrine.

Credit Extrema Ratio

China's Ambiguous Presence and Expanding Military Footprint in the Middle East

The PLA Navy has maintained a well-established counter-piracy presence in the Gulf of Aden since 2008, gaining crucial global operational experience. Yet, facing the current Red Sea crisis initiated by the Houthis, China has adopted a cautious neutrality bordering on cynicism, refusing to join international coalitions like the U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian or the EU's EUNAVFOR Aspides. This stance stands in stark contrast to its vast economic interests in the region, as disruptions to maritime traffic directly impact its global supply chains.

This apparent passivity often translates into "free-riding" behavior, where Beijing benefits from other nations' security efforts without actively contributing. There have been reports of PLA Navy ships in the Gulf of Aden ignoring distress calls from commercial vessels under Houthi attack. Beijing's official rhetoric has been limited to general condemnations, avoiding explicit naming of the Houthis or clear attribution of responsibility, framing the crisis merely as a "spillover of the conflict in Gaza." However, behind this facade, China has attempted to leverage its influence with Iran, a key Houthi supporter, and there are even speculations about alleged deals with the Houthis to ensure immunity for Chinese vessels. This demonstrates a calculating and opportunistic strategy that undermines multilateral security efforts.

Alongside this ambiguity, China is quietly but strategically expanding its military presence in the Middle East, though its footprint remains small compared to the United States'. Beijing's primary objective in this region is the protection of its extensive investments and the projection of global power. China has already established a military outpost in the region, such as the base in Djibouti, and is conducting a growing number of military activities. While limited in scale, these are crucial for its long-term goals, including participation in UN peacekeeping operations, conducting joint military exercises, and making port calls with regional partners. Some analysts suggest China may view dual-use ports (civilian and military) as a way to further expand its security options. These activities, though marginal compared to the massive U.S. presence, are vital for the PLA, allowing it to gain invaluable operational experience in complex international environments, test its power projection capabilities, and solidify its reputation as a credible security partner. Beijing is also actively targeting the Middle Eastern arms market, particularly through drone sales, to establish itself as an alternative to the United States and Russia. This gradual yet determined approach could lay the groundwork for a future, far more significant, Chinese military presence in the region, further threatening existing power balances.

The Silent Weapon: Chinese Naval Vessels and Their Advanced Laser Systems

The incident involving the German aircraft is by no means isolated; it fits into a well-documented and alarming pattern of behavior. The PLA Navy is actively equipping its ships, including Type 071 amphibious assault ships, with direct energy laser systems designed for both defensive and offensive purposes. Recent photographs show a seemingly newly installed laser weapon on a Type 071, suggesting these amphibious platforms are serving as testbeds for increasingly sophisticated laser technologies.

While much of China's high-energy laser development has focused on land-based systems, the appearance of these weapons on naval vessels—spurred by their demonstrated effectiveness against Houthi drones—indicates a clear intent by Beijing to deploy them in naval operational scenarios. The PLA Navy already uses low-power dazzling lasers to confuse and disorient. However, new installations point to a progression towards more powerful lasers capable of addressing complex threats like low-altitude cruise missiles and aircraft.

A Pattern of Aggression: Prior Laser Incidents and Beyond

China's use of lasers to harass and potentially harm foreign vessels and aircraft is a practice that has generated grave international concern.

1. The Philippines Incident (February 2023)

In a particularly egregious incident in February 2023, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) accused China of dangerous maneuvers and pointing a military-grade laser at one of its vessels, the BRP Malapascua, near the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. This reckless act caused temporary blindness to the Malapascua's crew, directly interfering with a lawful Philippine operation to resupply troops. The U.S. State Department swiftly condemned China's "provocative and unsafe" conduct, reaffirming its mutual defense commitments under the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty in case of an armed attack. Manila lodged a formal diplomatic protest, condemning the "shadowing, harassment, dangerous maneuvers, directing of military-grade laser, and illegal radio challenges" by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG). This incident occurred despite a recent agreement between the former Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping to manage maritime differences through diplomacy, highlighting Beijing's cynical disregard for its own commitments and international law. Retired Philippine Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio highlighted that the use of lasers causing permanent blindness is prohibited under the 1998 Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons, to which both China and the Philippines are parties, arguing such use could be considered an armed attack.

2. The Australia Incident (February 2022)

In February 2022, the Australian Ministry of Defense formally accused a PLA Navy ship of aiming a laser at a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The act, which occurred off northern Australia, was condemned as a "serious safety incident" and "unprofessional and unsafe military conduct" that endangered lives. China denied the accusation, in turn accusing the Australian aircraft of flying too close, but illuminating an aircraft with a military-grade laser clearly violates the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES).

3. The United States Incident (February 2020)

Two years prior, the U.S. Navy reported a laser attack on a P-8A Poseidon flying over the Pacific Ocean near Guam, emanating from a Chinese destroyer. Although no injuries were reported, the U.S. Navy labeled the action "unsafe and unprofessional" and a violation of CUES, underscoring the potential for significant harm to eyes and optical sensors.

Taiwan: The Hot Front of Laser Intimidation

China's use of lasers isn't limited to encounters with Western navies in distant waters; it's a tactic consolidated in its relentless pressure against Taiwan. There have been numerous reports of Chinese forces using lasers to harass and potentially attack Taiwanese ships and aircraft, aiming to disrupt their operations or test their defenses. These actions, which augment near-daily air and naval incursions in the Taiwan Strait, reveal a systematic attempt by Beijing to intimidate and wear down Taiwanese defense forces, pushing the boundaries of safety in one of the world's most volatile regions.

Beyond Lasers: Electronic Warfare and Aggressive Interceptions

Beijing's tactics extend far beyond lasers. In recent years, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, U.S. military aircraft have been subjected to electronic warfare attacks and aggressive aerial intercepts by Chinese forces. These incidents, often involving dangerous maneuvers and the use of systems designed to disrupt or disable adversary sensors and communications, compound the threat posed by laser attacks and other aggressive actions in the disputed South China Sea. They demonstrate a Chinese strategy of territorial assertion and coercion, employing "non-kinetic warfare" tools to disorient, blind, and endanger personnel without resorting to conventional weaponry, thus keeping tensions below the threshold of open conflict. Such actions are inherently dangerous and flagrantly violate international norms of safety and professional military conduct.

Legal Implications and the Enforcement Challenge

The persistence of these incidents, despite international agreements like the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES)—to which 21 countries, including China and the United States, have agreed—and memoranda of understanding between the Pentagon and China's Ministry of Defense, highlights a critical loophole in international maritime law: the lack of binding enforcement mechanisms. CUES is not a legally binding treaty and lacks stringent enforcement provisions for violations. Unfortunately, since CUES came into effect in 2014, China has adopted an increasingly aggressive stance in asserting its vast, internationally unrecognized territorial claims in the South China Sea. This absence of effective deterrence allows Beijing to continue pushing the boundaries of confrontation, knowing that immediate legal repercussions are minimal. The repeated use of dangerous tactics, including laser attacks, electronic warfare, and aggressive maneuvers, raises serious questions about China's true willingness to adhere to principles of security and stability in international waters.

Conclusion: A Growing Peril to the Maritime Order

The laser attack on the German aircraft in the Red Sea is a stark warning. It underscores not only China's advancing technological capabilities and its increasingly brazen assertiveness in international waters but also the complex web of interests and rivalries intertwining in an ever more volatile geopolitical landscape. As Europe and its allies strive to protect vital trade routes, the Chinese laser incident demonstrates that threats emanate not only from militant groups but also from state actors whose geopolitical ambitions are continuously expanding and who are willing to employ dangerous means to achieve them, with scant regard for the safety of others or international norms. The international community must decisively address this escalation to safeguard freedom of navigation and prevent further, potentially catastrophic, collisions.