BEIJING: China has denied any involvement using laser attack on Australia helicopter pilots in the South China Sea.

Spokesman of China’s defense ministry  Wu Qian told in media briefing that Australia should ‘reflect on itself’ before pointing the blame at others.

A witness on the Australian warship HMAS Canberra says Australian helicopter pilots were struck by lasers from Chinese boats. Scholar Euan Graham, who was on-board the Royal Australian Navy flagship HMAS Canberra on a voyage from Vietnam to Singapore, confirms that Australian helicopter pilots were hit by lasers while exercising in South China Sea waters claimed by China earlier in May, “temporarily grounding them for precautionary medical reasons.”

Last year, the US complained to China after lasers were released at aircraft in the Horn of Africa causing minor injuries to two American pilots. At that time too, China denied that its forces targeted the US military aircraft.

(Agencies)