BEIJING - How far will China go to support its rising profile as a player in the Middle East? A telling response has been its reaction to a recent overture by the United States to China to join a multinational task force to protect shipping in the Red Sea, a move that would have been a rare example of US-China naval cooperation.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the suggestion with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi following attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on commercial shipping in the area earlier in December. The thinking was that China, with its dependence on the Red Sea for its maritime trade, would have an interest in bolstering the maritime protection force. Also, given China’s trading links and close relationship with Iran, Beijing was well placed to assert its influence to rein in the Houthis.