Attacks on shipping hurt the Global South, so why is China so passive?

Beijing lacks leverage and the will to stop Iran and the Houthis.

The Houthis attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea continue, despite military strikes by the US and UK, as well as pleas from the Biden Administration that China use its influence over Iran to rein in their proxies in Yemen. 

The Houthis and Iran are undeterred by both the allied use of military force and notably, qualified requests made by their …