“It must be stressed that the tension in the Red Sea is a manifestation of the spillover of the Gaza conflict,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Jan. 24, in response to a question about the U.S. soliciting China’s help in reining in the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping.
“The priority now is to end the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible to avoid further escalation and prevent the situation from getting out of control,” Wang continued. “In the meanwhile, we believe that the [UN] Security Council has never authorized the use of force by any country on Yemen and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen and other coastal countries of the Red Sea need to be earnestly respected. China stands ready to work with all parties to help cool down the situation and safeguard the security and stability of the Red Sea region.”
Contrast this comprehensive approach to the region (and the world) with that expressed by a leading U.K. politician:
“I totally reject the Houthis’ claims that attacking ships from around the world is somehow linked to the conflict in Gaza. These attacks do absolutely nothing for the Palestinian people,” Labour Party leader Keir Starmer—who did call for a ceasefire and decisive steps towards a two-state solution—told the U.K. Parliament.
