China and Djibouti Demand Unrestricted Red Sea Navigation Amid Rising Security Fears
China and Djibouti call for protected freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, citing urgent concerns over regional maritime security.
POLICY WIRE — Beijing, China — China and Djibouti have issued a joint declaration asserting that all nations must be guaranteed freedom of navigation throughout the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The statement followed a high-level meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries in Beijing, where officials expressed deep apprehension regarding the declining security environment in the region.
Djibouti maintains a strategic position directly across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Yemen, a territory where Iran-backed Houthi forces have been active. While Houthi politburo member Hazem al-Assad has claimed that freedom of navigation and international trade in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb remain safe and orderly, the joint statement from China and Djibouti highlights a growing international consensus on the need for stability.
For landlocked nations like Ethiopia, the stakes are primarily economic. Captain Kibru Mesfin of the Ethiopian Maritime Authority emphasized that the majority of the country’s trade relies on transit through Djibouti, rendering secure maritime lanes a vital national interest. The region has increasingly become a theater of competition, with Iran projecting influence through Houthi proxies and maritime intelligence.
Analysts note that China’s military presence in Djibouti serves as more than just a forward base for the PLA Navy to extend its reach toward the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. The Republic of Djibouti has reaffirmed its commitment to maritime safety, calling for a sustainable political resolution to the ongoing Yemeni crisis to protect global trade and the lives of seafarers.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
