On January 14, 2024 local time, when meeting the press alongside Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry after their talks in Cairo, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China is deeply concerned over the rising tensions in the Red Sea.

Wang Yi said that the Red Sea is an important international trade route for goods and energy. China calls for an end to the harassment of civilian ships and safeguarding unimpeded global industrial and supply chains as well as the international trade order. At the same time, China believes that the Security Council has never authorized any country to use force against Yemen, so it is necessary to refrain from aggravating the tension in the Red Sea and raising the overall security risk in the region. Wang Yi stressed that the tension in the Red Sea is a prominent manifestation of the spillover of the conflict in Gaza. The pressing task now is to stop the conflict in Gaza as soon as possible to prevent it from further escalation or even getting out of control. It is necessary for all parties to jointly safeguard the safety of shipping lanes in the Red Sea in accordance with the law, while earnestly respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries along the Red Sea, including Yemen.