China's top diplomat and its state media outlets this week called into question the legitimacy of U.S.-led airstrikes against the Houthi rebels amid costly disruptions to trading routes in the Red Sea.
Speaking in Cairo on Sunday, Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, repeated Beijing's plea for "an end to the attacks on and harassment of civilian vessels" in the busy waterway but went on to caution that the ongoing strikes against strategic targets in Yemen were technically unsanctioned.
The United States led a third round of airstrikes against Houthi-controlled sites on Tuesday, according to the Pentagon's Central Command. Drone and anti-ship missile attacks on commercial vessels in the region continue to threaten maritime safety, impacting shipping to and from China as well.
The Iran-backed Houthis say they aim to blockade all shipments bound for Israel in solidarity with Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip. China has yet to condemn the Palestinian group since its attack on Israel last October, and it believes the turmoil in the Red Sea is part of the ripple effect of the ongoing war.
Wang urged all parties to maintain "the smooth flow of global production and supply chains as well as the international trade order," according to China's state broadcast CGTN.
"United Nations Security Council never authorized any country to use force against Yemen," he said, warning that the U.S.-led strikes were "pushing up the overall security risk in the region."
In an article published on Tuesday, China's state-owned tabloid, the Global Times, interpreted Wang's statement in a more direct manner. Beijing "does not support the Houthis' use of violence to disrupt the trade route in the Red Sea, but it also disagrees with the U.S.-led biased approach and double standards in the hostilities between Israel and Palestine, as well as the use of violence to counter violence," it said.
"To be straightforward, the Western alliance's attack in the region is unauthorized and illegal," the paper said.
China's stake in the region's maritime security is substantial. In Egypt, Chinese state-owned enterprises have poured tens of billions of dollars into logistics, transportation, and energy, according to data from the American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington, D.C.
Additionally, China has extended $3.1 billion in loans to Egypt, according to figures reported by the World Bank.
Before Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, firms from China and Hong Kong had pledged $20 billion in various projects around Egypt's Suez Canal. Last March, COSCO Shipping, China's state-owned shipping giant, invested $1 billion in Egypt's port infrastructure, followed by a $700 investment in Red Sea and Mediterranean ports by Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings.
COSCO and other leading companies including Maersk and Evergreen suspended services to Israel earlier this month.
The United States views China as a key player in potentially moderating Iran's sway in the region, including over the Houthi rebels. U.S. officials are said to have urged Chinese counterparts to use their leverage over Tehran to prevent more attacks.
Despite its extensive economic interests in the region, China has adopted a cautious stance on the serious disruptions under its long-held principle of non-interference.
Instead, Beijing has called for "relevant parties, especially major countries with influence," to help keep the peace.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aadil Brar is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers international security, U.S.-China relations, and East Asian ... Read more
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