By Riyaz ul Khaliq
ISTANBUL (AA) - Voicing concern over rising tensions in the Red Sea, China on Friday called on “all relevant parties” to avoid a further escalation of conflicts in the region.
Beijing said the parties should “remain calm and exercise restraint,” daily Global Times reported.
The US and UK carried out airstrikes on multiple targets inside Yemen late Thursday "in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels," US President Joe Biden said.
The attack comes in response to ongoing drone and missile strikes by the Yemeni group, which is backed by Iran, on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea that began in November in response to Israel's war on Gaza.
“The Red Sea area is an important international trade route for goods and energy, and we hope that all parties involved can play a constructive and responsible role in maintaining the security and stability of the Red Sea, which is in line with the common interests of the international community,” said Mao Ning, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.
Earlier, China linked tensions in the Red Sea to Israel's war on the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
Biden said the Houthi attacks that prompted the allied strikes "have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners and our partners, jeopardized trade and threatened freedom of navigation."
The Red Sea is a critical waterway for international commerce, particularly for oil and fuel shipments, connecting the Suez Canal in Egypt with the Gulf of Aden via the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The Houthis have carried out 27 attacks in the Red Sea since Nov. 19, the US military said earlier Thursday.