China Calls on Houthis to Cease Red Sea Attacks

China Renews Call for Houthis to Cease Attacks on Red Sea Shipping

China has once again urged Houthi militants to halt their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, expressed concern about the escalating tensions during a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday. He called for an end to attacks and harassment against civilian ships and urged all parties involved to refrain from exacerbating the situation.

These comments from China come after reports that Chinese officials approached their Iranian counterparts to seek their assistance in reigning in the Houthi rebels. The discussions took place in Beijing and Tehran, with a diplomat and individuals familiar with the matter in Iran confirming the meetings to Reuters. The report also highlighted the potential impact on business relations between Beijing and Tehran if the situation is not resolved.

The issue is expected to be addressed when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Bangkok in the coming days. The discussions will cover Taiwan and other matters of mutual interest, according to Wang Wenbin.

Despite importing approximately half of its crude oil from the Middle East and exporting more to the European Union than the United States, China has largely avoided involvement in the Red Sea conflict, even as the US and UK carried out airstrikes against the Houthis. However, Beijing has criticized the actions of the US and UK, with China’s top envoy in Brussels characterizing the Houthi attacks as a consequence of the Gaza crisis.

The ongoing missile, drone, and hijacking attacks by the Houthis over the past two months have resulted in the largest disruption of international trade in decades, leading to increased costs for shippers in Asia and North America.

China’s patience with the situation appears to be wearing thin. On January 10, China’s envoy to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, called for an end to the attacks. This was followed by a similar plea from Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian during a news briefing on Thursday.

Iran views the Houthis, along with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as part of its “axis of resistance.” The Houthi attacks began after Israel initiated strikes against Hamas in Gaza in response to an attack by the group on October 7th.