ANKARA

China on Tuesday said it supports Yemen's sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and wants the resolution of the raging conflict in the Red Sea through political means.

In a meeting with Mansour Baggash, the under-secretary for political affairs of Yemen’s Foreign Ministry, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Deng Li said that Beijing is willing to work with the international community to promote the early restoration of peace and stability in Yemen, according to local English daily Global Times.

Deng said that Beijing backs Yemen’s “sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity,” as well as the country’s legitimate government, and wants a political resolution of the “Yemeni issue.”

Baggash, for his part, expressed Yemen's “firm adherence” to the one-China policy, support for China in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolute opposition to external interference in Beijing’s internal affairs, according to the daily.

Tensions have escalated in the Red Sea amid Houthi attacks on commercial ships allegedly linked with Israel.

The Houthis said the attacks are to pressure Israel to halt its deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 26,000 victims since an Oct. 7 cross-border offensive by the Palestinian group, Hamas.

With US and British intervention and tensions escalating in January, the Houthis declared that they consider all American and British ships military targets.

Since Jan. 12, a coalition led by the US has been launching airstrikes to target Houthi sites in Yemen in response to their attacks in the Red Sea, which are occasionally met with responses from the group.