China secures safe passage for oil tankers through Houthi‑controlled Red Sea

China Houthis Bab el-Mandeb oil tanker Red Sea blockade

China has held direct talks with Yemen’s Houthi movement after the group declared a maritime blockade on July 20 targeting Saudi ports. Beijing asked the Houthis to promise safe passage for its oil tankers, and Chinese officials have been clearing each vessel individually with the rebels. At least four tankers carrying Saudi crude have already loaded in Saudi Red Sea terminals and transited the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait under this arrangement, allowing China to keep its oil imports flowing while many Western‑linked ships reroute around Africa.

The Houthis have warned that vessels may be attacked if they load or discharge cargo at Saudi ports, prompting some tankers to change course to avoid the strait. The Bab el‑Mandeb handles roughly 10 % of global seaborne oil trade, and the heightened risk has pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel. Chinese super‑tankers such as the Xin Long Yang have successfully passed through, illustrating how Beijing’s diplomatic channel secures cheaper and more reliable energy supplies amid the broader Red Sea conflict.

Entities: Bab el-Mandeb Strait · China · Cosco Shipping supertanker Xin Long Yang · Houthi movement (Yemen) · Houthis · People's Republic of China · Saudi Arabia · Xin Long Yang · Yanbu port (Saudi Arabia)

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 5 SOURCES] China held direct talks with Yemen’s Houthi movement to enable its tankers to sail through the southern Red Sea. (direct)
[● 6 SOURCES] The Houthis declared a blockade on 20 July targeting Saudi ports. (direct)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 10 % of global seaborne oil trade passes through the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait. (direct)
[● 5 SOURCES] At least four tankers have loaded crude from Saudi ports bound for China and transited Bab el‑Mandeb since the blockade began. (direct)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Oil prices have risen above $100 per barrel amid the escalating Houthi strikes. (direct)
[● 5 SOURCES] Chinese officials clear each vessel individually with the Houthis before it can transit the strait. (direct)
[● 5 SOURCES] The Houthis warned that vessels may be attacked if they load or discharge cargo at Saudi ports. (direct)
[● 5 SOURCES] Some tankers changed course to avoid the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait because of safety concerns. (direct)