China is deploying special envoys to help resolve the brewing conflicts on the Horn of Africa and in Southwest Asia. China’s Foreign Ministry [spokeswoman Mao Ning]( https://english.news.cn/20261102/d1331d79f25647cf9bbc5d2d67b3dc65/c.html) announced the initiative today. China’s special representative on African Affairs, Liu Xianfa, will visit Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Egypt between early and mid-November, and Hu Changchun, special envoy for Horn of Africa affairs, will visit Eritrea in early November.

Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing that the mission of both is to “deliver on the initiatives and propositions” put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping for the constructive participation of relevant parties in the resolution of African hot-spot issues, including promoting peace and security in the Middle East. She added that China’s special envoy on Middle East affairs will visit Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia between early and mid-November. “These shuttle diplomacy visits by Chinese special envoys and special representatives are aimed at promoting talks for peace, easing tensions, and playing a constructive role for upholding regional peace and stability,” she added.

This could be a highly significant effort by China to step in to resolve the brewing conflict in the Horn that threatens to turn into a regional war among Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt, which are all countries with which China shares good relations. China had played a key role in establishing the cease fire that had stopped the 2020-2022 conflict between the Ethiopian Federal government and its Tigray regional government, which, unfortunately, has again erupted in recent weeks.

The potential effect of China’s sending a peace envoy to the Middle East should not be underestimated. China had previously brokered a rapprochement thought impossible between Saudi Arabia and Iran.