China, Djibouti say Red Sea tensions threaten regional economies, call for de-escalation

The joint statement is notable less for new policy than for who is speaking together: China pairing with Djibouti, a host of foreign military bases and a key node for Red Sea shipping and logistics, signals Beijing tying its regional commercial exposure to African coastal states' security concerns. The explicit link between Red Sea disruption and piracy and terrorism risk frames maritime security as an economic issue for Horn of Africa economies, not just a shipping-cost story. Whether this diplomatic language translates into concrete coordination, and whether other Red Sea littoral states echo the call, is the open question.