China has long sought reconciliation with the Houthi rebel group. But Beijing now appears to be losing patience with Iran-backed Shiite Muslim militias that have been in a civil war in Yemen since 2014 and control large swathes of the conflict-hit country.
The Houthis have continued to attack Israeli-aligned cargo ships in the Red Sea in recent weeks.
Reuters has reported, citing Iranian sources, that Chinese officials have asked Iran to help it curb attacks on ships in the vital waterway, or Beijing will The company said there is a risk that it could damage its business relationship with the company.
“Basically, China is saying, ‘If our interests are harmed in any way, it will affect our business with Iran. So tell the Houthis to restrain themselves,'” he said after being briefed on the meeting. An Iranian official spoke on condition of anonymity. News agency.
China calls for safe navigation of ships
In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized the need to keep global supply chains “stable and smooth,” without specifically mentioning the Red Sea.
The Chinese government has appealed to the Houthis to stop attacking commercial ships.
“We call for an end to harassment of civilian vessels in order to maintain the smooth flow of global production and supply chains and the international trade order,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.
He added that the top priority is to end the war in Gaza as soon as possible to prevent it from escalating and getting out of control.
Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce also called on stakeholders in the region to “restore the Red Sea waterways and ensure safety.”
China has so far refrained from military involvement against the Houthis, unlike the United States and Britain, which have launched airstrikes against them.
The Houthis also said Russian and Chinese vessels sailing through the Red Sea would be allowed safe passage. It justified the move by saying that the Chinese and Russian ships were not involved in transporting supplies to Israel.
But even if Chinese vessels are not directly affected, Houthi attacks pose a major challenge to Beijing’s interests. The majority of China’s exports are handled by foreign vessels, and about 60% of all Chinese exports to Europe pass through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, according to the Middle East Institute think tank.
The volatile security situation in the region has already forced some shipping companies to detour from the Red Sea and take a longer and more expensive route around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, causing global supply chain problems. It’s getting worse.
Houthi attacks have huge economic impact
Johann Fuhrmann, head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s Beijing office, said the Houthis’ actions are having a huge economic impact on China.
“From a supply chain and global trade perspective, the Chinese government faces huge challenges. Not only is the route around the Cape of Good Hope longer and more expensive, but container prices are also rapidly increasing,” he told DW. It’s rising,” he said.
“All of this is happening at a time when China is focused on expanding its exports, as the domestic real estate crisis shows there will be no more real estate-based economic booms,” Furman added. .
Nora Kürtzdorfer, a China expert at the German Institute for International and Area Studies in Hamburg, also pointed out that China is heavily dependent on energy supplies from the Middle East and Africa.
“Despite the fact that Chinese vessels have not yet been attacked, Chinese exporters are facing increased shipping costs and insurance premiums.”
The cost of shipping containers to Europe has more than doubled to around $7,000 (6,443 euros) since the Houthis began attacking cargo ships in December, according to estimates.
Chinese government shows political restraint
Still, China has so far exercised political and military restraint to avoid jeopardizing its economic and diplomatic interests in the region.
Kurzdorfer said the Chinese government has traditionally pursued a policy of non-interference and emphasized national sovereignty. But this does not mean China is not pursuing political interests, she added.
For example, Kurzdorfer noted that the Chinese government is using the current situation to emphasize that the United States is also responsible for widespread instability. “We are also strengthening our partnerships with local partners and allies such as Iran.”
Mr. Furman said that China’s political objectives generally include establishing itself as a new great power in the region, as demonstrated last year when it brokered rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two of the Middle East’s biggest rivals. He said it was to be established.
At the same time, he stressed that the Chinese government has repeatedly emphasized the sovereignty of other countries and presented itself as a force for peace.
“The Chinese government has said that the military intervention of the United States and its allies is destabilizing not only Yemen but the entire region.”
Furman said China generally sees itself as a defender of the Global South. “Our expression of solidarity with the Palestinians is also in line with this.”
At the end of November, the Chinese government released a policy document on the Gaza war, calling for a “comprehensive ceasefire and cessation of fighting,” “effective protection of civilians,” and humanitarian assistance to the people. In a small enclave along the coast.
The paper did not mention the October 7 terrorist attack carried out by Hamas in Israel that killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 hostages.
Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by Germany, the United States, the European Union, and some other countries, but not by China.
Concerns about being too close to the US
“In this regard, it is worth noting that Israel generally has good relations with China, where it is also perceived as an ally of the United States,” Furman said.
Mr. Kürzdorfer has a similar view. “Although China maintains commercial relations with Israel, it tends to side with the Palestinians in rhetoric and diplomacy, and also serves as a countermeasure to the United States,” she said.
But practical considerations also play an important role for the Chinese government, she added. She added: “China also insists on an early end to the Gaza war to avoid further escalation of the situation in the Red Sea.”
Furman said the Chinese government has relatively little experience in military operations overseas, which is probably one reason why it is wary.
“Instead, it prefers to stand by and criticize other countries’ military actions. But it remains to be seen whether this calculus will hold up in the long term.”
“Decoding China” is a DW series that examines China’s positions and claims on current international issues from a critical German and European perspective.
This article was originally written in German.