The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against targets linked to Houthis in Yemen. It’s the first time strikes have been launched against the Iran-backed group since it started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea late last year.

An international alliance is backing the action, with a joint statement by the governments of Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Denmark; Germany; Italy; Japan; Netherlands; New Zealand; Republic of Korea; Singapore; United Kingdom; and United States.

Nearly 15 percent of global seaborne trade passes through the Red Sea, including 8 percent of global grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil and 8 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas trade. International shipping companies continue to reroute their vessels around through the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant cost and weeks of delay to the delivery of goods, and ultimately jeopardizing the movement of critical food, fuel, and humanitarian assistance throughout the world.

Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews.  The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-condemning-houthi-attacks-against-commercial-shipping-in-the-red-sea-3-january-2024

But one nation, whose goods are brought on almost every container vessel making its way into the Red Sea via the straits of the Bab el Mandeb, is not participating: the Chinese.

Missing in action

Since 2017 the Chinese have an important base in Djibouti – its first overseas military base.

It has been developed into a major facility, capable of servicing the expanding Chinese navy.

The Red Sea is a critically important route through which Chinese exports reach Europe. And it has been hit hard. All exports on this route have fallen like a stone, as this graph from Reuters makes clear.

Yet – at least so far – the Chinese have not deployed its military assets in Djibouti to halt the Houthi attacks. Will Beijing continue to stand aside? Perhaps.