According to informed sources, after Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi forces threatened to blockade Saudi Arabian ports, China has directly negotiated with the Houthis in an effort to secure safe passage for Chinese oil tankers through the southern Red Sea.
On July 20th, the Houthi forces announced a blockade of Saudi ports, extending their Iran war-related actions targeting the US and its allies to maritime transport. The Houthis subsequently sent email warnings to international shipping companies, stating that ships loading or unloading at Saudi ports could face attacks.
Informed sources, including a senior Iranian official, stated that Beijing has directly requested the Houthi forces to guarantee the safe passage of Chinese oil tankers. China is also one of the first countries to engage with the Houthis on this matter.
As Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz at the Gulf's exit, Beijing is seeking to maintain its oil supply from Saudi Red Sea coastal ports—mainly Yanbu—to China to fill the gap. In this situation, tankers must pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, with Yemen located on the strait's eastern shore.
Two additional sources close to the Houthi forces indicated that the Houthis and China have always maintained a good relationship, with the two sides having closely coordinated in the past, especially regarding oil shipments from Saudi Arabia to China.