China calls for end to Red Sea civilian ship attacks

China’s Foreign Ministry has called for an end to attacks on civilian ships in the Red Sea and an alleviation of tensions there.

During a press conference on Tuesday, in response to a question about the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, the spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, Wang Wenbin, said: “The Red Sea is an important international trade route for goods and energy. We do not hope to see tensions in the region.”

"We call for a halt to the harassment and attacks on civilian ships, advocate respecting the sovereignty of Yemen and other coastal countries of the Red Sea, and are committed to working actively with all parties to alleviate tensions there," the spokesperson added.

Wenbin suggested that "the root cause for the escalation of the situation in the Red Sea lies in the spillover effect of the Gaza conflict."

He said, "a speedy end of the conflict in Gaza will help ease the situation in the Red Sea." He urged the parties to the conflict to implement resolutions by the UN Security Council and General Assembly regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and to realize an immediate ceasefire.

In response to a question about the recent attack on a US base in Jordan which killed three soldiers, Wang Wenbin said: “We noted the report that an attack on a US base caused casualties, and also noted that Iran said it has nothing to do with the attack.”

"The current situation in the Middle East is highly complex and sensitive. We hope relevant parties will remain calm and exercise restraint, step up dialogue and communication, avoid getting into a vicious cycle of revenge, and prevent further escalation of tensions in the region," the Chinese official said.