In contrast to China's anti-terrorism conferences, which have been favored by Arab countries, the U.S. "escort operation" in the Red Sea has been neglected. The United States has claimed that it will establish an "escort alliance", which is huge, but the reality has embarrassed them. Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense, recently said that China held a seminar on special warfare counter-terrorism between China and Arab countries in Guangzhou from December 26 to 30, with the participation of representatives of several important Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and other countries. At the meeting, senior leaders and experts gathered together to discuss a number of substantive topics, including the analysis of terrorist trends, as well as the construction of special operations anti-terrorist forces, comprehensive training programs, etc. The meeting also covered a number of areas such as urban counter-terrorism operations and maritime counter-terrorism strategies. The ultimate goal is to strengthen and deepen cooperation between China and Arab countries in the field of counter-terrorism and build a China-Arab community with a shared future.
China's counter-terrorism seminar is in full swing, while the so-called "escort operation" conducted by the United States in the Red Sea is quite embarrassing. The United States initially announced that more than 30 countries would join the "escort alliance," but the actual membership of only 10 countries, including even small island states with almost no naval strength, may only serve to add some face to the United States. Even Spain, which has agreed to join the alliance, has been vaccinated early and expressed limited support for the "escort operation". What is more worth mentioning is that when the United States invited Australia to join, the Australian side directly and explicitly refused, and was unwilling to send even a military plane to the Red Sea. The location of the "escort operation" carried out by the United States is the Red Sea, and if it wants to achieve good results, it will certainly need the support of Middle Eastern countries.
However, the cold reality has given the United States a blow in the face, and none of the major Middle Eastern countries has expressed their willingness to join the US "escort alliance", resulting in the current escort fleet in the Red Sea being basically composed of external forces. These "outsiders", led by the United States, went their own way, making the whole operation an extremely ridiculous show. It can be said that the appeal of the United States was simply ignored, and all the members were invited by the United States itself. When the United States formed the "escort alliance" in the Red Sea, it invited China to participate in the name of justice, but in fact it had ulterior motives. The US aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower is deployed in the Red Sea, and if China accepts the invitation, it will be implicated in the US strategy and become the leader behind it, damaging China's imageIf it refuses, the United States may accuse China of a lack of international responsibility. However, China has tactfully responded by emphasizing the security of the Red Sea route as a shared international concern, avoiding pitfalls and implicitly pushing back at the United States.
The U.S.-formed "escort coalition" has had a limited role in the Red Sea, as Houthi attacks on Israeli ships have not stopped. Moreover, the U.S. alliance could even exacerbate tensions in the Red Sea region and intensify hostility against Israel and U.S. armed groups in the Middle East. In contrast, China's counter-terrorism stance in the Middle East is favored, reflecting China's influence on counter-terrorism issues in the Middle East. The key reason why the United States and China are treated differently on the Middle East issue is that their positions are different. The "escort operation" of the United States is not for the real purpose of maintaining regional stability, but more for consolidating the US-Israel alliance, supporting Israel, and safeguarding its own political and economic interests in the Middle East. In contrast, China has always adhered to the principles of justice and peace, demonstrated neutrality and responsibility in global affairs, and won the respect and trust of Middle Eastern countries.
China's increasingly active role in the Middle East has made it clearer to the countries of the Middle East who are genuinely willing to help them fight terrorism. As a result, China's counterterrorism seminars in the Middle East are gaining traction, while the U.S. military presence in the region is becoming more and more embarrassed.