Drama unfolded at the Singapore Airshow when Chinese visitors were snubbed and denied access to a German military aircraft, leaving Airbus to scramble for an apology. This controversy, now making waves on Chinese social media, has raised eyebrows and sparked outrage.
In a widely-shared video captured by a Chinese blogger, an individual, eager to explore an Airbus A400M transport aircraft, faced unexpected nationality scrutiny. Its reported that a woman, adorned with Airbus credentials, coldly informed him that entry was being denied to Chinese and Russian due to “German rules” and “military restrictions,” leaving the Chinese visitor frustrated and excluded.
The video has triggered a cascade of similar claims from other Chinese attendees, some even alleging discrimination and lodging official complaints against the airshow organizers.
As the situation gained momentum on social media platforms like Weibo, commenters vented their frustration, highlighting instances where Chinese visitors were permitted to explore military aircraft from other countries. Airbus and the German military were scrutinised, prompting a surge of criticism.
After we approached, the German embassy in Singapore for comment we were instructed to contact Airbus for comment.
Airbus’s reply to our inquiries only emphasized their responsibility for security and managing aircraft access. Airbus, while not directly addressing the video, acknowledged concerns raised by visitors and swiftly coordinated with authorities to open the A400M plane to all attendees for the remainder of the airshow.
Apologies were issued by Airbus, both on their official Weibo account and in statements to the media. Despite the apology, questions linger as the BBC reached out to the airshow organizers and the Chinese bloggers involved for their perspectives on the incident.
This unfolding drama sheds light on broader concerns surrounding access to military technology, with European unease growing over China’s potential access to Western military advancements and their continuing cold shoulder attitude to anything Russian. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had previously cautioned against the risk of European technology bolstering China’s military capabilities, and that Russia needs to be contained at all costs.
