At the start of the conflict between Israel and Gaza, China aligned itself with regional partners Saudi Arabia and Iran in condemning Israeli aggression and advocating for a peaceful solution to address Palestinian grievances. However, the consensus among the three nations was disrupted by Houthi attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea.
Iran denies direct involvement in the attacks, despite its close ties to the Houthis, while Saudi Arabia remains silent following its costly conflict with the armed group. As the world’s largest exporter of goods and a key player in global shipping, China has a significant economic interest in maintaining the security of shipping lanes.
Despite pressure from the United States to exert influence over Iran to stop the attacks, Chinese diplomats have not made significant moves in that direction. The US itself has more leverage over Israel and could potentially end the Red Sea crisis by using that influence.
China has refrained from directly condemning the Houthis or linking them to Iran but has expressed disapproval of the attacks. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that China was making efforts to ease tensions in the Red Sea.
Despite reports suggesting China threatened Iran with potential harm to bilateral business relations if Chinese interests were affected by the attacks, Iran denied these claims. China has sent warships to the region, but these missions are routine and do not indicate a major change in strategy.
While China has influence over Iran through economic ties, it faces challenges in converting that influence into leverage. The US continues to urge China to pressure Iran on the Red Sea situation, despite China’s limited ability to do so effectively.
As the US conducts military strikes in the region, China is concerned about escalating tensions. Beijing believes a ceasefire in Gaza is crucial to calming the situation, as the Houthis have indicated they would halt their attacks in response.
The US’s insistence on China’s influence over Iran contrasts with its reluctance to use its own leverage to restrain Israel and end the conflict in Gaza. While the US has significant influence over Israel, it continues to support the country with arms during its campaign in Gaza, which has been criticized as potentially amounting to genocide.