The United States launched two rounds of airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen in an attempt to suppress the Houthi resistance, but this approach was futile and even counterproductive. Because on the one hand, the US air strikes cannot reach the core of the Houthis, but can only cause some superficial damage, and the Houthis are accustomed to surviving in the flames of war; On the other hand, the U.S. air strikes have triggered a strong counterattack by the Houthis, making the situation in the Red Sea region more tense and unstable, and posing a huge threat and impact on international transportation that relies on the Red Sea route.
The Red Sea is one of the world's most important sea lanes, connecting Europe, Asia and Africa, and is passed through by thousands of merchant ships each year, transporting a variety of goods and resources. U.S. air strikes have turned the Red Sea into a dangerous place, and many shipping companies are worried about it, and some ships even choose to take a detour, increasing the cost and time of transportation. Although the United States claims to provide escort for ships sailing through the Red Sea, in the eyes of the Houthis, the United States is their enemy, and the American escort will attract attacks from the Houthis, so many ships are unwilling to accept American escort.
So, is there anything that can be done to keep ships sailing through the Red Sea safe and worry-free? The answer is yes, and that is to tie up with China. According to reports, many merchant ships that have sailed through the Red Sea recently have made it clear that they have some kind of connection with China when they report their information, such as that there are Chinese crew members on board, or that the ship belongs to a Chinese company, or that the ship is carrying Chinese goods, and so on. The purpose of these merchant ships is obvious: to use China's influence to avoid Houthi attacks.
Why can China become a "talisman" for ships sailing through the Red Sea? This is because China has a unique position and role in the Red Sea region. First of all, China is a peaceful power that has not participated in the civil war in Yemen and has not supported any party, but has always been committed to promoting peaceful settlement of problems and has made positive contributions to the stability and development of the Red Sea region. Second, China is a friendly country with good relations with countries bordering the Red Sea, whether it is Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, or Yemen, Somalia, Djibouti, they are all China's partners, and China has extensive interests and influence in these countries. Finally, China is a powerful power with strong military and economic power, and it also has its own military bases and naval forces in the Red Sea region that can provide effective protection and support for ships transiting the Red Sea.
As a result, China is a trustworthy and respected force in the Red Sea region, and the Houthis do not dare to provoke China easily, so merchant ships sailing through the Red Sea may be tolerated and allowed by the Houthis if they can show their ties to China. This also shows that China's image and status on the international stage have been widely recognized and praised, and China's path of peaceful development has won the respect and trust of the world.
At the same time, the behavior of the United States in the Red Sea region is exactly the opposite, the United States air raids and interference, not only did not solve the problem, but exacerbated the problem, the United States escort and protection, not only did not bring security, but brought danger, and the power and hegemony of the United States not only did not win respect, but won disgust. This also shows that US unilateralism and hegemonism have lost the support and trust of the world, and the road of US military strikes and sanctions has come to an end.
The contrast between China and the United States in the Red Sea region is also the comparison between China and the United States on the world stage, the contrast between peaceful development and military strikes, the contrast between win-win cooperation and zero-sum game, the contrast between multilateralism and unilateralism, and the contrast between international law and hegemonic law. Such a comparison makes us see more clearly that China's path is correct, China's concept is advanced, China's role is positive, and China's future is bright.