China to track developments in Red Sea
The Ministry of Commerce said it was closely tracking developments in the Red Sea in response to the escalating situation there and the nation would provide support and assistance to foreign trade enterprises. "It is hoped that all parties concerned will restore and ensure the security of shipping lanes in the Red Sea waters," a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement late on Thursday. The ministry said it hopes all parties would jointly safeguard the smooth flow of global production and supply chains and the normal order of international trade. In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, Premier Li Qiang had emphasised the need to keep global supply chains "stable and smooth", without referring specifically to the Red Sea.  The Iran-backed Houthi militia launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a US-owned tanker ship late on Thursday that hit the water near the vessel but caused no injuries or damage, the US military said. The incident, the latest amid growing tensions in the Red Sea that have disrupted global trade and raised fears of supply bottlenecks, took place around 9pm Yemen time (2am local time), according to a US Central Command post on X. (Reuters)