Reuters published on 25 January 2024 an article titled "Exclusive: China Presses Iran to Rein in Houthi Attacks in Red Sea, Sources Say" by Parisa Hafezi and Andrew Hayley.
In the best reporting I have seen on this subject, Reuters says that Chinese officials have asked their Iranian counterparts to help rein in attacks on ships in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthis, or risk harming business relations with Beijing. It was unclear whether Iran would take any action following the request from China.
China has important leverage with Iran. It has been Iran's largest trading partner for the past decade and Chinese oil refiners purchased over 90 percent of Iran's crude exports last year. Chinese commerce is also disproportionately impacted negatively by higher costs and disruption associated with the attacks.
The report speculated that China waited so long to take this action because it did not want to publicly ascribe blame to the Houthis and, in any event, Iran does not have complete control over its Houthi allies. In addition, China prefers to "free-ride" on efforts by the US, UK, and others in maintaining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
