\n\n“China is warning the U.S. against escalating its attacks on Yemen\u2019s Houthi rebels, as the conflict in the Red Sea increasingly threatens both Beijing\u2019s economic and diplomatic interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Houthis\u2019 months-long campaign to restrict maritime traffic moving through key Middle East waterways is a particular threat to China, which is heavily reliant on the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait to move Chinese products to European markets. China is also more dependent than the U.S. on oil and gas imports from countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Qatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cChina is concerned about the escalating tension in the Red Sea and calls on relevant parties to exercise calm and restraint to prevent the conflict from escalating,\u201d Beijing\u2019s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning told reporters on Friday. \u201cChina calls on relevant parties to play a constructive and responsible role in keeping the Red Sea safe and stable, which serves the common interests of the international community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China declined to join a U.S.-led coalition of forces, called Operation Prosperity Guardian, which began policing the Red Sea last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a broader level, the growing military exchanges between the U.S. and Houthis threaten China\u2019s Mideast diplomatic interests. Last spring, Beijing stunned Washington by brokering a normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Houthis\u2019 primary military backer. The deal was based, in part, on Iran\u2019s commitment to China to cut off military supplies to the Yemeni militia and constrain Houthi attacks on Saudi and international targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Tehran in recent weeks has praised the Houthis\u2019 Red Sea operation, and Iran\u2019s elite military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has embedded personnel among the Yemeni militia\u2019s forces, according to U.S. and Arab officials.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The Pentagon announced Tuesday that they interdicted a vessel off the coast of Somalia last week that was ferrying Iranian-manufactured ballistic missile and cruise missile components to the Houthis.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n