China backs reopening of Bab al-Mandeb as oil supply disruptions mount

Beijing backs efforts to secure international shipping lanes amid Houthi threats near Yemen and disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while analysts raise the possibility of Chinese naval escorts.

China has backed calls for ensuring safe and open shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key global trade route facing disruption from Houthi attacks, as conflict involving Iran, the US and regional powers puts further pressure on international oil supplies.

A joint communique issued by China and Djibouti on Thursday said Beijing supported “constructive efforts” to ensure that international shipping lanes remained safe and open.

The statement followed talks in Beijing between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Djiboutian counterpart, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, who is visiting China.

Djibouti occupies a strategic position near the narrow Bab al-Mandeb Strait and hosts China’s first overseas naval base. The strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a critical passage for trade between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.

The latest statement comes amid concerns that the Iran-US war could trigger further disruption to shipping in the Red Sea. Restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz have already added to concerns over global oil supplies.

The Iran-backed Houthis have escalated attacks against Saudi Arabia, while threats to Saudi-linked shipping through Bab al-Mandeb have raised concerns over the security of the kingdom’s oil exports.

China weighs possible response

Chinese analysts have raised the possibility of Beijing deploying naval escorts if the security situation deteriorates, although one researcher said such operations were not currently necessary.

Li Weijian, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that the joint communique carried particular significance because Djibouti is located near the strait and hosts China’s sole overseas military support base.

Li said the situation did not yet warrant Chinese naval escorts because no Chinese vessels had been threatened or attacked.

He added that Beijing remained committed to pursuing a peaceful and lasting solution through diplomatic channels, but its response could change if the situation escalated.

“Whether further action will be taken depends on how the situation develops,” Li said, adding that China could take further measures if the conflict threatened the safety of Chinese shipping or the lives and property of its citizens.