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China-Middle East relations
ChinaDiplomacy

Why China’s Red Sea diplomatic mission is unlikely to stop Houthi shipping attacks

  • Beijing continues to walk a fine line between helping to end the Red Sea attacks and maintaining its neutral position on the Israel-Gaza war
  • Analysts note China’s reluctance to get involved, saying a recent diplomatic visit to the Middle East could be seen as ‘routine’

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The British-registered cargo vessel Rubymar sinks after being damaged in a missile attack by Houthi militants in the Red Sea. Photo: EPA-EFE
Zhao Ziwen
As Houthi rebels continue to wreak havoc in the Red Sea, China recently sent a diplomat to the major countries involved in the crisis in a bid to “restore safety and stability” in the region.
But analysts have said the diplomatic mission is unlikely to yield any solid breakthroughs in the crisis due to Beijing’s continuing reluctance to intervene further – and threaten its neutral position in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Last month, Wang Di, director general of the foreign ministry’s West Asian and North African affairs department, became the first Chinese diplomat since the crisis began to visit both Saudi Arabia and Oman as he met with Saudi, Omani and Yemeni officials.

In all his meetings, he had a similar message.

In Saudi capital Riyadh, Wang told Yemeni deputy foreign minister Mansour Ali Saeed Bajash that China attached great importance to “maintaining security and stability in the Red Sea region”, adding that Beijing supported Yemen’s “legitimate government”, but it would only pursue a “political settlement” on the anti-government Houthi militants.

While there, he made the same point to Saudi Arabian officials – that Beijing was willing to work with the country to “restore safety and stability” in the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, Wang also highlighted China’s call for a ceasefire in Gaza during his tour, telling Omani officials that Beijing believed the Red Sea crisis was a “prominent manifestation of the spillover from Gaza”.
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