Reuters: China has entered direct talks with Yemeni armed groups to ensure the security of its oil tankers.
Reuters news agency, citing informed sources, reported that China has initiated direct talks with Yemeni armed groups to guarantee the safe passage of its oil tankers through the southern Red Sea. This move comes after these groups threatened to disrupt access to Saudi Arabian ports.
Reuters reported that on July 20, Yemeni armed groups declared a naval blockade of Saudi ports and then warned international shipping companies via email that ships loading or unloading at Saudi ports might be targeted.
According to Reuters, Beijing is striving to maintain oil exports from Saudi terminals in the Red Sea, particularly the port of Yanbu, to compensate for the supply shortages resulting from what the news agency described as Iran’s practical blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Yemeni armed groups announced that they had fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker. Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for this group, claimed that the tanker was forced to return due to violating the naval blockade and ignoring warnings.