China, Djibouti stress navigation freedom in Red Sea, urge restraint on force and unilateral sanctions amid Saudi-Houthi conflict

China and Djibouti have released a joint communique as Middle East tensions are spilling over into the Red Sea, imperiling regional security and trade. It underscores the importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and urges extra-regional powers to refrain from arbitrarily resorting to the use of force and unilateral sanctions so as to prevent further escalation of regional tensions.

The joint statement, released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, followed a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Djibouti's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Djibouti, located in the Horn of Africa and separated from Yemen by the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, commands the critical waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, giving it great strategic significance.

The joint statement notes that the recent escalation of tensions in the Red Sea poses a grave threat to the global economy. In particular, it endangers economic activities including trade, investment, energy and food security for countries in the Horn of Africa, and exacerbates security risks such as piracy and terrorism.

The two sides hold that de-escalating tensions in the Middle East is key to addressing security challenges in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. They call on all parties to take concrete actions through dialogue and diplomacy to tackle the severe challenges facing the Middle East, the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, and prevent regional tensions from escalating or growing more complicated.

The document further stresses the importance of upholding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, stating that the navigation rights exercised by merchant vessels of all countries under international law should be respected. China supports Red Sea littoral states in safeguarding the safety and unimpeded flow of the international waterway and upholding shared regional interests in a constructive manner.

According to Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, the joint communique carries forward China's position articulated during UN Security Council deliberations on the Red Sea in July, with more systematic, clear elaboration.

Unlike some prior statements centered merely on shipping safety, it places Red Sea security under the Horn of Africa's broader governance framework and addresses Middle East tensions, Red Sea shipping, refugee issues, piracy and food security as an integrated whole, Song added.

The communique came as hostilities in Yemen reignited, with the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces locked in fierce clashes for control of the Red Sea coastline and areas around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, renewing threats to the security of this critical international waterway. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said almost 260,000 people have been displaced since August.

The persistent military escalation has drawn heightened diplomatic and security concern from regional and international powers. The US State Department has ordered some diplomats and family members to depart from ⁠its missions in Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters.

French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise visit to Riyadh Wednesday for talks on strategic ties and regional developments. On the same day, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El‑Sisi said Cairo would limit its defense commitments for Saudi Arabia to protecting Saudi territory and borders and would not involve attacking Yemen, according to media reports.

In the joint communique, the two countries also call on the international community, especially external powers, to abandon double standards, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of regional countries, and refrain from arbitrarily resorting to force and unilateral sanctions.

"Unlike the practices of some external powers marked by military intervention, China and Djibouti adhere to a regional governance approach that puts regional countries in the driving seat and advances security and development in tandem," said Song.

By aligning its position with China, Djibouti stands a better chance of winning broad recognition from Red Sea littoral states and countries across the Horn of Africa, said Song. "Amid mounting great‑power competition, the document advocates regional consultation to build consensus among littoral states. It rejects confrontational mindsets, guards against extra‑regional powers expanding military strength and stoking regional tensions in the name of safeguarding shipping‑lane safety, and keeps avenues open for diplomatic mediation," she noted.

Notably, on issues concerning the Horn of Africa, the joint communique expresses firm support for Somalia in upholding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. It rejects attempts to secure "diplomatic recognition" for Somaliland and opposes any form of collusion between Somaliland and Taiwan authorities.

Prior to the release of the communique, during the talks between two countries' foreign minister on Wednesday, Wang Yi said that China appreciates Djibouti's adherence to the one-China principle.

He also noted that China values the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Djibouti and is willing to further deepen pragmatic cooperation with Djibouti, adding that both sides should give full play to China's zero-tariff policy and Djibouti's geographical advantages.

The shared China‑Djibouti position on security and development also bears out the idea that sovereignty and territorial integrity are the cornerstone of a stable regional order, and connectivity plus economic and trade cooperation can provide a sustained, interest‑based underpinning for regional peace, Song noted.