When asked whether China has an arrangement with the Houthi rebels in Yemen not to attack Chinese-owned ships, and also not to attack ships owned by other countries that start off from Chinese ports, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday that the Red Sea waters are important routes for international trade in goods and energy.
The Minister added that his country opposes harassment to civilian ships, and calls on relevant parties to jointly keep the shipping lanes through the Red Sea safe in accordance with the law, and in the meanwhile earnestly respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries along the Red Sea.
Lin said that as a major responsible country, China has been playing a positive role for alleviating tensions since the escalation of the situation in the Red Sea, and will continue to contribute effort to restoring peace and tranquility in the Red Sea at an early date.