Beijing and Djibouti have called for safe and open international shipping lanes as Houthi attacks threaten traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, adding to pressure on oil supplies already strained by restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The joint communique followed talks between Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and his visiting Djiboutian counterpart Abdoulkader Houssein Omar. China said on Thursday that it supported “constructive efforts” to keep the routes open.
Djibouti occupies a critical strategic position just across the narrow Bab al-Mandeb Strait from Yemen. The strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a chokepoint in trade between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.
The statement comes amid concerns that the US-Iran war could further disrupt shipping through the Red Sea.
The Iran-backed Houthis have escalated their attacks against Saudi Arabia. Houthi threats to Saudi-linked shipping through Bab al-Mandeb have raised concerns over Saudi oil exports.
Chinese analysts are also hinting at the possibility of China sending naval escorts if the situation escalates.
"China has long championed freedom of navigation. Issuing such a joint communique with Djibouti, a nation positioned at the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and host to Beijing's sole overseas military support base, carries far more symbolic weight than routine diplomatic statements issued under normal circumstances," said Li Weijian, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.
The current situation did not yet require Chinese naval escort operations, as no Chinese vessels had been threatened or attacked, Li told the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
Beijing remained committed to seeking a peaceful and lasting solution through diplomatic channels, Li said, adding that China's response could change if the situation escalated.
"Whether further action will be taken depends on how the situation develops. If it continues to escalate and poses a threat to Chinese shipping safety or the lives and property of Chinese citizens, I believe China will certainly take further measures," he said.