In its first formal statement with a Red Sea nation on the fallout from the US-Iran war, China said in a joint communique with Djibouti that it backs “constructive efforts” to ensure international shipping lanes are safe and open. The statement on Thursday was released a day after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Djiboutian counterpart Abdoulkader Houssein Omar met in Beijing. “The two sides emphasised the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab...

Europe should work with Beijing to develop shipping through the Arctic rather than trying to advance its transatlantic security alliance by framing China as a threat linked to Russia. That was the assessment of Chinese analysts following the release of the European Union’s Arctic policy on Tuesday. In addition to identifying Russia as its main threat, the policy warns of Beijing’s growing strategic ambitions in the European Arctic through its deepening alignment with Moscow. “With our new...