Gavin Grey: UK correspondent on Germany accusing China of targeting EU mission aircraft with laser

Germany has accused the Chinese military of targeting its aircraft during an EU operation over the Red Sea.

The Chinese ambassador has been summoned to the German foreign ministry over the incident.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says this comes as concerns mount over China's influence on critical technologies and security infrastructure in Europe.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Devin gray Are UK europe correspondent Gavin Good morning, good
evening either right now, Emanuel Macron is in London for
the first state visit of a European state leader since Brickset.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Yes, that's right, and it's the first visit state visit
of a French president here for seventeen years. And the
UK government when it came in just over a year ago,
promised to reset the relationship with the European Union and
that of course over the Brexit vote, and this three
day visit day two today, the carpet is red carpet

(00:33):
quite literally being rolled out for Emmanuel Macron and his wife.
They were greeted by King Charles and Queen Camilla. He
then gave a speech to Parliament talking about how both
countries have a duty to tackle illegal migration quote with humanity,
solidarity and firmness. And it's very much a topic of
choice at the moment, with numbers spiking again getting across

(00:56):
the English Channel to the UK in small boat. But
many here in France believe that I believe rather that
France simply isn't doing enough to stop those small boats
crossing the channel, despite being given tens of millions of
pounds taxpayers money here to fight the criminal gangs operating
over there. Anyway, today the tour continues, they go through

(01:19):
Windsor and also visit the tomb of the late Queen Interesting.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
Germany accusing China's military of targeting one of its aircraft
with a laser.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yes, the Chinese ambassador has been summoned to the German
Foreign Ministry over this claims of this incident that they
say happened at the start of this month. The tensions
come as really concerns mount in the European Union about
the influence that China is having on critical technologies and
also security infrastructure in Europe. Now, according to Germany's Defense Ministry,

(01:54):
they say the aircraft was taking part in the European
Union Aspdes mission, which is a response to attacks on
international shipping in the Red Sea by the Uti rebels
backed by Iran. Of course, now Operation Aspardes is purely
a defensive mission to increase maritime surveillance, but it is

(02:16):
thought that during that point in time, maritime surveillance aircraft
has been carrying out reconnaissance work over the Red Sea,
and a Chinese warship which had been encountered several times
in the Red Sea, targeted the aircraft with a laser
for no reason and prior communication had not been conducted
during this routine mission flight and by using the laser,

(02:39):
the Germans are saying the warship was put at risk
both the equipment and the personnel on board, but very
few other details at the moment, the Chinese denying any
such laser was fired.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
Now Greg Wallace TV present to we all know him
here Mastership BBC. What's happening with him?

Speaker 2 (02:59):
Well, so, of course he's been off our screens for
a while after allegations surfaced of inappropriate misconduct or inappropriate
sexual comments. And now we learn that, according to reports
at least he has been sacked and removed from the
program and removed as a presenter by the production company

(03:20):
that makes Master Chef and other things called Banijay. Now
he has come out fighting. He's issued a statement saying
if you think I'm going to go quietly or wrong,
basically saying that a lot of these allegations are completely
false and that the BBC investigation has ultimately shown that
the most serious allegations are completely incorrect. So for his part,

(03:45):
Greg Wallace said quote, I will not go quietly. I
will not be cancelled for convenience. I was tried by
media and hung out to dry well before the facts
were established, and has accused the BBC of peddling baseless
and sensationalized gos masquerading, has properly corroborated stories. Meanwhile, Ryan,
it's alleged to further fifty people have come forward alleging

(04:08):
inappropriate conduct, including dropping his trousers allegedly when people go
into his dressing room without wearing any underwear, and inappropriate
comments as well. So I think this one is set
to wrangle on for some considerable time. But it looks
like he won't be on our TV screens for a
while yet.

Speaker 1 (04:25):
No, it sounds like rightly, so if that's true. Hey,
London looked absolutely beautiful. And the images that we're seeing
coming out of London with the French President Macron and
his wife there and they're in the horse and carriage
with King Charles, it just looks beautiful.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yeah, it's a great time of year. A little bit
too hot for some of those dressed up in all
the finery yesterday our sense, but yeah, it was really good. Interestingly,
the state banquet that they were given yesterday was at
Windsor Castle. That's because Buckingham Palace is under such huge
renovation at the moment. Indeed, I think Donald Trump's visit
in a couple of months time, we'll see a similar
tactic entertainment winsor not at Buckingham Palace. But yeah, truly, yeah,

(05:09):
it shows off a lot of the pomp and ceremony,
but also shows off how London's looking in these lovely
summer months.

Speaker 1 (05:15):
Absolutely, Gavin, Thank you, Gavin Gray, are you europe correspondent?
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.