On January 31, 2024, Professor Liu Zhongmin of the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University was interviewed by Global Times on China-Yemen Relations, the full text of which is below:
China expected to play bigger role in Middle East: Yemeni official
China said on Tuesday that it supports Yemen's sovereignty, territorial integrity and supports the legitimate government of the country and a resolution to the Yemen issue through political means. Amid the escalating Red Sea crisis, Yemen also expects China to play a bigger role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.
The Yemen issue has been cooling down since Saudi Arabia and Iran resumed diplomatic relations, and Yemen has also recognized China's role in the Yemen situation, some Chinese experts said.
While it may be difficult for China to play a direct role in the ongoing confrontations between the Houthi group and the US and the UK regarding the situation in the Red Sea, China can play a role in maintaining political stability in Yemen. This is particularly important in preventing a resurgence of the conflict between the Houthi group and the Yemeni government, experts noted.
The traditional friendship between China and Yemen is deep-rooted, with Yemen being one of the earliest Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. China highly appreciates Yemen's long-standing and steadfast support on issues that involve China's core interests, Vice Foreign Minister Deng Li told Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Yemen Mansour Baggash on Tuesday in Beijing.
China is willing to continue strengthening political mutual trust, enhancing exchanges and cooperation in various fields with Yemen, and promoting the further development of China-Yemen relations, Deng said.
The senior Chinese diplomat noted that China supports the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Yemen, as well as the legitimate government of Yemen.
China supports the peaceful resolution of the Yemen issue through political means and also supports the UN to play a just and balanced role as the main channel for mediation. China is willing to work with the international community to facilitate the early restoration of peace and stability in Yemen, Deng said.
The meeting between Chinese and Yemeni diplomats took place amid escalating Red Sea tensions, as the commander of the Houthi militia on Tuesday said the group is ready for a long-term confrontation with the US and Britain.
On Monday, the group said they attacked a US Navy mobile base at sea without offering evidence, although the statement was immediately rejected by an American defense official, the AP reported.
The Houthi group has escalated their attacks on Israel-bound ships in Red Sea since the Palestine-Israel conflict broke out. The Houthis claim the attacks are in response to Israel's bombardment of Gaza, media reports said.
Commenting on the meeting between Chinese and Yemeni diplomats, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday that China's position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Red Sea situation is consistent and clear. We advocate an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, protection of civilians, alleviation of the humanitarian situation, realization of the two-State solution, and joint international efforts to keep the shipping lanes in the Red Sea safe, Wang noted.
The root of the Yemen crisis is linked to the Palestinian issue, which has long remained unresolved, including the Gaza crisis. Behind the scenes, there is a power struggle between forces represented by Iran and those represented by the US and Israel, Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
As China has also expressed concerns about the Red Sea and the Palestine-Israel conflict and hopes to promote de-escalation of the crisis, and China does not wish to see US and Western powers exacerbate the situation, Sun said. From this meeting, it is clear that Yemen also hopes that China can play a more proactive and positive role in the region.
Yemen appreciates China's efforts to facilitate the political resolution process of the Yemeni issue, Baggash said during the meeting, and expressed gratitude for China's objective and impartial stance on the Palestine-Israel conflict and positively acknowledges China's role in facilitating the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Yemen looks forward to China playing a greater role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East region, and both sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the Palestine-Israel conflict and the situation in the Red Sea.
Since the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, it appears that the situation in Yemen has been cooling down. The Houthi group has been actively seeking reconciliation with the government over the past year, and the group's relationship with Saudi Arabia has been improving, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
From this perspective, Yemen seems to have directly expressed its recognition of China's role, especially in successfully facilitating reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Liu said.
While it may be difficult for China to play a direct role in the current Red Sea crisis involving the Houthi group and the US and the UK, it can play a role in maintaining political stability in Yemen, Liu noted.
Particularly, China can contribute to preventing a resurgence of conflicts or the outbreak of a new civil war in Yemen, which remains a real risk. In this regard, China's involvement could encompass working with the Yemeni government and even indirectly engaging with Iran and Saudi Arabia, he said.
Source: Global Times
(The views expressed in this article are the personal views of the author or the interviewee, and do not represent the position of this research institution)
