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BEIJING, 22 October 2026 China and Djibouti called on Thursday for safe shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, stressing the importance of freedom of navigation in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, in a joint statement published by China’s Foreign Ministry after talks between their foreign ministers in Beijing.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks on Wednesday with Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, who is on his first official visit to China, according to China’s Foreign Ministry and Djibouti’s state news agency ADI.
The statement said merchant ships of all countries should be able to exercise their navigation rights under international law, and that China supports Red Sea coastal states in constructively keeping shipping lanes safe, China’s Foreign Ministry said.
The two sides expressed serious concern over a resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea and called for stronger cooperation under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the ministry said.
Wang said the Middle East conflict was spilling into the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region, “posing new threats to the safety of the shipping lanes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden”, according to the ministry’s account. He said China would work with Djibouti to remain committed to de-escalation.
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The statement said easing tensions in the Middle East was key to security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. It said the two sides opposed regional spillover of tensions, urged dialogue, and called for an end to double standards, the use of force and unilateral sanctions, the ministry said.
The statement also said both sides firmly support Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose Somaliland’s bid for external recognition, the ministry said.
The two ministers also signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation under China’s Global Security Initiative. The ministry did not release details.
Wang also encouraged Chinese companies to invest in Djibouti, citing the country’s zero-tariff access to China and the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, which he said could help Djibouti become a regional hub for trade and logistics, the ministry said.
Houssein Omar said Djibouti remained committed to the one-China principle, according to the ministry. ADI said his visit, which began on Monday, runs until 24 October.