The United States is in trouble in the Red Sea, but it wants China to take the lead, and China's response is to the point.
The Red Sea is one of the world's most important sea lanes, connecting Europe, Asia and Africa, and is an important part of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Recently, however, tensions have risen in the Red Sea as Yemen's Houthi rebels continue to fire missiles and drones into the Red Sea, threatening the safety of merchant ships and oil tankers. The United States, the main military force in the Red Sea, was powerless to stop the Houthis and instead pointed the finger at China, asking China to put pressure on Iran to restrain the Houthis. In response, the Chinese side gave a response, leaving the United States with nothing to say.
The United States** has repeatedly engaged with high-level China over the past three months in an attempt to persuade China to play a role in the Red Sea issue, asking China to put pressure on Iran to stop an Iranian-backed Houthi attack on the Red Sea, according to the United Kingdom**1. U.S. adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others have conveyed this demand to China. However, the US side did not get a positive response from the Chinese side, but made the Chinese side feel dissatisfied.
The United States** acknowledges that they have little hope for China to change its stance, but will continue to raise the issue with China. They also asserted that while China intends to maintain stability in the region, it is not strong enough and that the United States will not exaggerate China's role. In addition, the US has also put pressure on China through the Security Council to include its condemnation of the Houthis in its resolutions.
The United States also sent Kirby, the coordinator of strategic communications for the White House committee, to publicly say on Tuesday that the United States welcomes China to use its influence and channels to play a constructive role in the Red Sea crisis and prevent the flow of ammunition into the hands of the Houthis.
From the words and deeds of the US side, it can be seen that the United States is exerting all kinds of pressure on China to try to make China pay for the US dilemma in the Red Sea. However, this move by the US side not only did not meet with China's cooperation, but was refuted by China. This is because the Chinese side believes that the logic and attitude of the United States are untenable.
First, China is not a party to the Red Sea crisis or a supporter of the Houthis. The root cause of the Red Sea crisis is the continuation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the deterioration of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is caused by the United States. On the one hand, the United States has continuously increased its support for Israel, and on the other hand, it has turned a deaf ear to the demands of Palestine, which has led to the stagnation of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and intensified the confrontation in the Middle East. As an ally of Palestine, the Houthis have also been suppressed by Israel and the United States, so the attack on the Red Sea is their resistance and revenge. The Houthis have made it clear that their targets are primarily to help Israeli ships and threaten them, rather than indiscriminate attacks. China has always held a fair and balanced position on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, advocated a solution through political dialogue and negotiations, and has never posed a threat to the Houthis. In fact, the Houthis have also stressed in recent days that ships from countries such as China are not in their sighting range and are not their targets.
Secondly, the logic of US intervention is itself absurd. The U.S. demand is that China warn Iran to rein in the Houthis. This demand ignores both the sovereignty of China and Iran, as well as the autonomy of the Houthis. Both China and Iran are independent countries with their own interests and judgments, and will not be subject to external interference and instigation. The relationship between the Houthis and Iran is not as close as the outside world thinks, and both the Houthis and Iran have stated that the Houthis' actions in the Red Sea are their own decisions and have nothing to do with Iran. The U.S. wants China to interfere with Iran and the Houthis, which is disrespectful and unrealistic.
Again, the attitude and actions of the United States are themselves adding fuel to the fire. Some US side claims that China has not made much effort to stabilize the regional situation, which is a reversal of black and white. Whether it was the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict or the escalation of the Red Sea crisis, China immediately called on all parties to exercise restraint and oppose attacks on civilians and merchant ships, and actively participated in the mediation and mediation of the international community. At the same time, China also believes that in order to solve the problem fundamentally, it is necessary to find a solution that meets the interests and expectations of all parties, rather than only treating the symptoms but not the root causes, or trying to bring one side to its knees by force. In contrast, the United States and its allies have carried out airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen, leading to a further exacerbation of the Red Sea crisis. The United States has also made small moves in the Security Council in an attempt to put pressure on China, forgetting that the Security Council has never authorized any country to use force against Yemen, nor has it ignored the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries bordering the Red Sea, including Yemen.
To sum up, it is unreasonable and impossible for the United States to be in trouble in the Red Sea and want China to take the lead. China has responded sharply by demanding that the US stop attacking and harassing civilian vessels and urging relevant parties to refrain from adding fuel to the fire of tensions in the Red Sea. At the same time, China has also made clear its position that it should earnestly respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Red Sea littoral countries, including Yemen, and that China should have its own position and principles, as well as its own influence and channels on the Red Sea issue through political peace. China will not interfere in Iran's relations with the Houthis, nor will it criticize or support the Houthis' actions. China only hopes that the situation in the Red Sea will return to stability as soon as possible and that all parties will be able to resolve the root causes of the Palestinian-Israeli issue through political peace. This is China's attitude and China's proposal.
The United States should be soberly aware that the Red Sea crisis is of its own making, and it is also a responsibility for itself. The United States cannot expect China or other countries to pay for their mistakes, nor can it expect China or other countries to make concessions for their interests. The United States should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries bordering the Red Sea, stop its armed intervention in Yemen, stop its unprovoked attacks on the Houthis, and stop unreasonable pressure on China. Only in this way can the United States win the respect and trust of the Red Sea region and contribute to peace and development in the Red Sea region.