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China Calls on Houthis to Abandon Military Option, Return to Dialogue

Shao Zheng, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Yemen (Photo: Saad al-Anzi)
Shao Zheng, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Yemen (Photo: Saad al-Anzi)
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China Calls on Houthis to Abandon Military Option, Return to Dialogue

Shao Zheng, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Yemen (Photo: Saad al-Anzi)
Shao Zheng, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Yemen (Photo: Saad al-Anzi)

Shao Zheng, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Yemen, said that the Yemeni crisis was going through a sensitive and important stage that is fraught with many opportunities and challenges at the same time.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, he called on the Yemeni parties to seize opportunities to achieve peace as soon as possible.

According to Zheng, challenges include lack of trust between the Yemeni parties and the worsening humanitarian and economic conditions in Yemen.

The Chinese official stressed that his country has a strong desire to contribute to achieving peace in Yemen through various channels, pointing to the importance of the positive atmosphere and efforts of reconciliation witnessed in the Arab region during the last period.

Yemen enjoys opportunities and faces challenges at the same time, he said. According to him, there are three opportunities ahead. The first is that after eight years of war, the aspirations of the Yemeni people for peace have become greater.

Secondly, relations between the countries of the region have become better, as China has succeeded in mediating between Saudi Arabia and Iran to conduct discussions in Beijing and reach an agreement to normalize relations.

The third opportunity, according to the Chinese official, is the negotiations between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, which have achieved some results in some areas.

He hoped the negotiations will bring more benefits and progress in order to lay a solid foundation for peace in the future.

However, Zheng pointed to a number of challenges facing peace in Yemen.

He said mutual trust between the different parties is still lacking and needs more time to be restored. Secondly, the process of improving relations between the countries of the region is still fragile; and third, the humanitarian and economic conditions in Yemen are worsening, and cannot be solved overnight.

Zheng emphasized that China was working to achieve peace in the world through its global security initiative, indicating that its success in mediating between Saudi Arabia and Iran to normalize relations was the best evidence of the implementation of this initiative.

The Chargé d’Affaires stressed that Beijing appreciated the Saudi-Omani efforts to achieve peace in the war-torn country.

Asked whether the Chinese government had any relations with the Houthis, he replied that China supports the Yemeni legitimate government, and calls on the various Yemeni parties to sit at the negotiating table as soon as possible to launch the peace talks.

Zheng pointed to the long history of economic an investment cooperation between his country and Yemen, saying that one of the most important Chinese projects was the Hodeidah-Sanaa road, which was built with the help of China.

He added that the number of giant Chinese projects in Yemen before the 2015 war reached about 100, pointing out that these companies were forced to withdraw in the wake of the war.

In this context, the official revealed that Chinese companies have a desire to participate in the reconstruction of the country.

The volume of trade exchange between the two countries is currently at $3 billion, while the volume of trade exchange between China and the Arab countries exceeds than $400 billion, he said.

Today, there are about 30,000 Yemenis living in China, most of whom are merchants, who form a bridge linking China to Yemen, he added.

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UN Envoy to Sudan: Foreign Arms Fuel Military Illusions, Prolong War

The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra (UN Photo) 
The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra (UN Photo) 
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UN Envoy to Sudan: Foreign Arms Fuel Military Illusions, Prolong War

The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra (UN Photo) 
The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra (UN Photo) 

The United Nations’ special envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, has issued a stark warning about the continued flow of weapons into the war-torn country, saying it only “feeds military delusions” and delays peace.

In his first in-depth interview since assuming the role earlier this year, Lamamra told Asharq Al-Awsat that peace in Sudan cannot be imposed from outside but must be forged by Sudanese themselves through collective will and unity.

“Peace is not imposed, it is made,” he said. “And if Sudanese do not make it, it will not come to them from the outside.”

Lamamra, an Algerian diplomat and former foreign minister with decades of experience in African mediation, emphasized that no military solution is possible in Sudan’s conflict. Instead, he called for an urgent political settlement, warning that “each day of delay means more fragmentation, more bloodshed.”

Following meetings in Port Sudan with Sovereign Council leader Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and ongoing communications with the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Lamamra acknowledged that the path to peace remains long and difficult.

He condemned what he described as a dangerous “logic of dominance” driving the conflict—a belief that complete military victory is possible, regardless of the cost to Sudan’s social fabric. “Some actors still think peace can wait until one side wins,” he said. “But that’s a delusion. There is no military solution.”

Instead, he stressed: “Sudan needs a political solution based on compromise, not revenge.”

Since taking office, Lamamra has focused on coordinating rather than expanding international mediation efforts. He voiced concern about the “overcrowding of mediators,” which he said has allowed Sudanese factions to exploit international divisions.

To address this, Lamamra launched a consultative group that includes the African Union, the Arab League, and peace-sponsoring countries. The group has met in Cairo, Djibouti, and Mauritania and plans to convene again in Brussels under EU sponsorship.

“What we need is not more mediators, but consensus around a unified vision,” he said. “Multiple tracks have allowed some parties to bet on contradictory international positions, delaying serious efforts toward peace.”

He pointed to UN Security Council Resolution 2724, which tasked him with coordinating peace efforts, emphasizing that its implementation hinges on aligning international efforts behind a single, realistic peace strategy.

Asked whether Sudan’s war has faded from global attention, Lamamra acknowledged that media coverage may fluctuate but said the humanitarian catastrophe continues to deepen.

“The suffering is daily and ongoing,” he said, highlighting the dire conditions in North Darfur and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Zamzam camp. “The tragedy breaks the heart.”

With over 13 million internally displaced and millions more seeking refuge abroad, Lamamra described Sudan as the site of the world’s largest humanitarian crisis today. “This is a country under siege by arms, division, and international silence,” he said.

He praised the special attention paid by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has longstanding ties to Sudan dating back to his leadership of the UN refugee agency.

Lamamra was especially vocal about the dangerous role of foreign military support. “Feeding the war with weapons is not support for resolution—it is participation in prolonging delusion and division,” he said.

He accused some regional and international actors of backing Sudanese factions in hopes of future influence. “They forget that war leaves nothing intact to control,” he noted. “It’s in no one’s interest to see Sudan collapse.”

The envoy reiterated the UN’s calls for a total halt to arms shipments and strict enforcement of Security Council resolutions aimed at cutting off military funding.

Despite international interference, Lamamra emphasized that the ultimate responsibility for ending the war lies with Sudanese themselves. “History will judge them first and foremost,” he underlined.

Lamamra said the Jeddah Declaration—an agreement brokered by Saudi Arabia to ensure humanitarian access and civilian protection—remains a viable starting point for peace efforts. He commended Riyadh’s efforts and urged regional actors to intensify pressure on warring factions.

He also pointed to the upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad as a potential turning point. “Sudan is central to the Arab identity. This is not a crisis that allows for neutrality,” he said.

In a direct message to the Sudanese public, Lamamra expressed admiration for their resilience. “I visited Port Sudan recently and met with leaders and citizens. I was moved by their hospitality and strong will to take charge of their future,” he said.

He pledged the UN’s continued support, acknowledging the scale of the humanitarian challenge: “Children, women, and innocent civilians are being stripped of life’s basic necessities. This crisis demands a moral awakening—not just from governments, but from everyone who hears and sees.”

Lamamra concluded: “Peace is not a one-time event—it’s a long-term project. And if we don’t begin now, there may be nothing left to build on in a few months.”