The Libyan Express published on 4 April 2026 an article titled "New Maritime Corridor Links China to Libya via Suez."
China is opening a new shipping route from its port of Qingdao on the Yellow Sea through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to connect with the ports of Benghazi and Misrata in Libya. The route strengthens trade between Asia and the Mediterranean and offers an alternative to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
War on the Rocks published on 23 April 2024 an analysis titled "Solving the Houthi Threat to Freedom of Navigation" by Allison Minor, Brookings Institution.
Although Houthi attacks from Yemen on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have faded from the news cycle, the threat is unlikely to go away soon and continues to interrupt commerce in the region. The international response has not reassured commercial actors to resume major shipping activity in the Red Sea.
An end to the war in Gaza, the Houthis stated reason for initiating the attacks, will not likely end them. The Houthis demand access to additional Yemeni oil and gas resources in order to strengthen their control over northern Yemen. An UN-backed political process for dealing with the conflict in Yemen may be the best way out of this conundrum.
china-africa relations
