China rejects US plea for action on Houthi shipping attacks

[Ryan Robertson]

IT LOOKS LIKE CHINA COULD CARE LESS ABOUT HOUTHIS ATTACKING SHIPS –SO LONG AS THE SHIPS AREN’T CHINESE. THE COUNTRY’S COMMUNIST PARTY IS REFUSING U.S. REQUESTS TO COLLABORATE ON PROTECTING INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING FROM THE HOUTHIS, INSTEAD ENCOURAGING THE IRANIAN-PROXY TO AVOID TARGETING CHINESE SHIPS AND JUST FOCUS ON THOSE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES 

U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE KURT CAMPBELL, CRITICIZED BEIJING’S APPROACH AS “PROFOUNDLY UNHELPFUL” DURING A SPEECH AT THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE, SAYING CHINA’S REFUSAL RAISES DOUBTS ABOUT ITS COMMITMENT TO GLOBAL SECURITY. 

THE HOUTHIS STARTED ATTACKING SHIPPING LANES IN THE RED SEA LATE LAST YEAR–DISRUPTING GLOBAL TRADE WHICH DOES INCLUDE CHINESE SHIPPING INTERESTS.

HOUTHI MISSILE AND DRONE ATTACKS FORCED ABOUT HALF OF ALL THE CONTAINER SHIPS TRAVELING BETWEEN EUROPE AND CHINA TO AVOID THE RED SEA AND SUEZ CANAL ALTOGETHER–AND INSTEAD TAKE THE LONGER, MORE EXPENSIVE ROUTE AROUND THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE IN SOUTH AFRICA. DESPITE THESE DISRUPTIONS, CHINA, WHICH MAINTAINS A NAVAL BASE IN DJIBOUTI, DECLINED TO JOIN AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT LED BY THE U.S. TO SAFEGUARD SHIPPING LANES.

CAMPBELL REVEALED , RATHER THAN JOINING FORCES WITH THE U.S. AND OTHER NATIONS, CHINA COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY WITH THE HOUTHIS, URGING THEM TO AVOID CHINESE VESSELS WHILE TARGETING OTHER SHIPS. THIS APPROACH RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT CHINA’S ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION, PARTICULARLY GIVEN ITS CLOSE TIES TO IRAN, WHICH SUPPORTS THE HOUTHI REBELS.

CHINA MAINTAINS GOOD RELATIONS WITH SEVERAL MIDDLE EASTERN NATIONS, INCLUDING IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA, AND INVESTED HEAVILY IN ISRAEL’S TECH SECTOR. IN 2023, BEIJING BROKERED THE RESTORATION OF DIPLOMATIC TIES BETWEEN IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA, SHOWCASING ITS DIPLOMATIC INFLUENCE IN THE REGION.

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I’M RYAN ROBERTSON