<p data-path-to-node="2" id="p-rc_2b4420730fa92490-95"><span data-path-to-node="2,0" class=""><b data-path-to-node="2,0" data-index-in-node="0">BEIJING / DJIBOUTI CITY</b> — China and the Republic of Djibouti have formally issued a joint communiqué expressing "serious concern" over escalating maritime threats and persistent security volatility in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, calling on the international community to safeguard freedom of navigation and prevent the Horn of Africa from becoming an arena for major-power geopolitical confrontation</span><span data-path-to-node="2,1" class=""><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c2563806301="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2563806301="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="2,2">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c117407407=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="3">The joint statement followed extensive high-level diplomatic deliberations in Beijing between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdoulkader Houssein Omar. Emphasizing that uninterrupted transit along the Suez Canal–Red Sea artery is vital to international trade stability, both governments warned that prolonged disruptions to commercial maritime corridors represent a direct hazard to global economic continuity and regional security.</p><p data-path-to-node="4" id="p-rc_2b4420730fa92490-96"><span data-path-to-node="4,0">Both ministers underscored that commercial merchant ships of all nations are entitled to unimpeded navigation rights under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)</span><span data-path-to-node="4,1" class=""><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c2563806301="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2563806301="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="4,2">. The document explicitly called on outside powers to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Red Sea littoral states, urging conflicting parties to reject unilateral sanctions and avoid the excessive use of military force, which risk inflaming regional instability. Both sides emphasized that settling the wider security crises across the Middle East remains the foundational prerequisite for restoring lasting safety to the Red Sea basin.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c117407407=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="5" id="p-rc_2b4420730fa92490-97"><span data-path-to-node="5,0">Djibouti occupies an indispensable geographic position overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, serving as a primary deepwater transshipment gateway for the Horn of Africa and hosting China’s first overseas naval support facility</span><span data-path-to-node="5,1" class=""><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c2563806301="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2563806301="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="5,2">. For Beijing, the waterway represents a critical supply lifeline connecting domestic manufacturing hubs to key European and Mediterranean export markets</span><span data-path-to-node="5,3" class=""><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c2563806301="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2563806301="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="5,4">. Escalating security hazards have compelled major ocean carriers to undertake costly, multi-week diversions around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, inflating fuel burn, marine war-risk insurance premiums, and landed freight rates</span><span data-path-to-node="5,5" class=""><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c2563806301="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2563806301="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="5,6">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c117407407=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="6" id="p-rc_2b4420730fa92490-98"><span data-path-to-node="6,0">During the bilateral meetings, the two nations signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperative defense and security under China's Global Security Initiative. The discussions also prioritized economic redundancy, highlighting investments along the Addis Ababa–Djibouti railway corridor and the development of regional logistics zones to enhance trade resilience against maritime bottlenecks. While stopping short of announcing joint kinetic naval escorts, the Beijing-Djibouti declaration marks a concerted diplomatic push to assert littoral leadership and protect one of the world's most vulnerable trade conduits</span><span data-path-to-node="6,1" class=""><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c2563806301="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2563806301="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="6,2">.</span></p>