What happened
China has urged Iran to restrain its allies, the Yemen-based Houthis, after a request from Saudi Arabia. The Houthis have recently conducted a series of military advances along the Red Sea coast, leaving Saudi oil exports and shipping vulnerable.
The Houthis' actions pose a significant threat to the region, particularly given Iran's limitations on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Red Sea is a crucial waterway connecting the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, and the Houthis have carried out numerous attacks on vessels transiting the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
Saudi officials reached out to China after the Houthis' rapid advances, prompting China to call on Iran to rein in its allies. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing, where Wang emphasized the need to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation.
China, as the primary buyer of Iranian oil, wants to see the Strait of Hormuz reopened and is concerned about the potential for regional tensions to escalate. The meeting between Araghchi and Yi comes ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump.
