China called on the Houthi group to stop attacks targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea, noting the need to stop the conflict in the Gaza Strip, which will reduce the intensity of escalation in the Red Sea.

This came in an interview with Shao Zheng, Acting Chinese Ambassador to Yemen, to the “Yemen in International Media” program of the Sana’a Center for Studies, in which he explained that the attacks doubled the cost of shipping and insurance for Chinese exports, causing an additional burden on Chinese producers.

He said that most Chinese ships were not directly affected by the attacks after some of them changed their course and now passed through the Cape of Good Hope, pointing to two incidents in which two Chinese ships were attacked after the attackers thought they were ships belonging to other countries.

Cheng expressed the need to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen, in reference to his country’s position rejecting the offensive operations launched by the United States and Britain on sites of the Houthi group in Yemen, in response to the latter’s attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

He said, “It is necessary for no country to use UN resolutions as a justification for using violence and launching strikes.”

He urged stopping any escalation of the conflict following the attacks launched by Israel on the port of Hodeidah last Saturday, pointing out that this would affect the daily lives and livelihood of the Yemenis.

According to Cheng, his country is in contact and talks with all Yemeni parties, including the Houthis, whom he called on to forget any military options and return to the negotiating table and reach an agreement and political settlement as soon as possible.

The Chinese official expressed his country's welcome of the agreement announced by the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, in which he announced an agreement between the Yemeni government and the Houthi group to reverse decisions related to Yemeni banks and airlines. Cheng said, "This is a good way to stop the war and economic conflicts." .