Saudi Arabia is telling Communist Chinese diplomats that the Kingdom is ready to resolve the war with the Houthis in the Red Sea. The real message, though, is not for China, but rather a signal to America that the Saudis have leverage on, and a desire for, a defense treaty — and perhaps even a nuclear program.

The Saudi Defense Minister, Khaled bin Salman, told Chinese officials that the kingdom would make concessions in exchange for a stop to the Houthis’ attacks on ships moving in and out of Saudi ports, according to Houthi sources quoted by Lebanon’s Al Akhbar news, a Hezbollah mouthpiece.