Israel-Gaza war: Chinese FM Wang Yi opens Africa tour with jab at US-led strikes on Houthi in Yemen
- The Chinese foreign minister says the coalition is fuelling tensions and raising regional security risks while priority remains lasting peace in Gaza
- In each of his meetings in Egypt on the first stop of his African visit, Wang repeats China’s commitment to a two-state solution
Wang, who was in Cairo on the first stop of his four-nation tour of Africa, expressed China’s deep concern about the sharp rise of attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are protesting against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
At a joint briefing on Sunday with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukri, Wang also observed that the United Nations Security Council had never authorised any country to use force against Yemen – a thinly veiled attack on the US and its allies.
Wang’s comments came shortly after the strikes launched by the US and its allies, including Britain, against the Houthis. The Iran-backed group has warned it will retaliate.
Wang said the US-led naval coalition helping to safeguard commercial traffic “should avoid adding fuel to the fire of tensions in the Red Sea and raising overall regional security risks”.
“It must be emphasised that the tense situation in the Red Sea is a prominent manifestation of the spillover of the Gaza conflict,” he said, adding that the situation in the Palestinian territory remained “very serious and critical”.