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China Presses Iran to Rein in Houthi Attacks in Red Sea
(Reuters) Parisa Hafezi - 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, four Iranian sources and a diplomat said. The attacks have raised the cost of shipping and insurance by disrupting a key trade route between Asia and Europe used widely by ships from China. Iranian sources said Beijing had made it clear it would be very disappointed with Tehran if any vessels linked to China were hit, or the country's interests were affected in any way. On Jan. 14, China's foreign minister Wang Yi called for an end to attacks on civilian ships in the Red Sea and the maintenance of supply chains and the international trade order. Victor Gao, professor at China's Soochow University, said China, as the world's biggest trading nation, was disproportionately affected by the shipping disruption and restoring stability in the Red Sea was a priority.