Enter the Strait of Malacca... Crucially, transit through Malacca supplies 80% of all of China’s oil imports; and it’s vital as well for Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and several ASEAN nations ... Enter the possibility of a Malacca tollbooth.
A quasi-strategic alliance ... Any disruption in the South China Sea or the Strait of Malacca would force reliance on alternative routes along Australia’s eastern seaboard and through the Vitiaz Strait, lifelines essential to Japan’s economic survival.
These include the Strait of Malacca, an important chokepoint for global shipping and trade. The region surrounding Malacca has seen growing military attention from outside powers in recent years.
Indonesia is leveraging its geographic position as gatekeeper of the Strait of Malacca to extract technological concessions that were once blocked by decades of bureaucratic resistance in Washington.
These include the Strait of Malacca, an important chokepoint for global shipping and trade. The region surrounding Malacca has seen growing military attention from outside powers in recent years ... Why Malacca is irreplaceable.
Iran has threatened to start charging a toll for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Even if it never happens, the idea could unsettle global shipping ... .