An academic research about China’s inaction in the Red Sea crisis suggested that “While the conflict has brought the US and many of its allies into the conflict, China, which is a major regional player, has chosen inaction, and that this happened despite the fact that China is not only a significant global power with a high position in the international system, but it also has a high share of the world’s material capacity.
The author of the research noted that "although the Houthis have stated that Chinese ships will not be targeted, attacks on international shipping would still directly and indirectly harm Chinese interests.
The research found China has piggybacked on global statements of concerns, deciding not to condemn Houthi rebels attacks on Red Sea shipping, but rather focused on calling for parties to use intergovernmental institutions to negotiate a solution under a veiled criticism of US-led military operations against the Houthis.
The author of the research identified 3 possible courses of action for China in the Red Sea such as using military force to protect Chinese interests or using diplomatic tools to actively pressure Iran and coerce the Houthis into ending their attacks, and not engaging with the conflict, and decided that it could not step in militarily and support the US military effort, due to the fact that it has little to gain and a lot to lose by becoming a more active player in the Red Sea conflict.