COMMENTARY: By Lim Tean
Most of Iranian oil — 96.7 percent — is destined for China. If you note this figure, you will realise that the Americans are really trying to choke off the supply of Iranian oil to China by blockading the Strait of Hormuz.
This is a major part of the American containment strategy against China.
Now that America will most likely lose control of the Strait of Hormuz to Iran, they are shifting their attention to the other most critical chokepoint in the world — the Strait of Malacca.
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About 80 percent of China’s imported oil has to pass through the Strait of Malacca. Vessels come down the Strait, sail past Singapore which is at the southernmost tip of the Strait, before they swing upwards into the South China Sea to go to the Philippines and East Asia, including China.
The two most important countries which border the Malacca Strait are Indonesia and Malaysia, one on either side of the Strait.
A very interesting development took place on Monday in Washington when the Defence Minister of Indonesia Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin signed a cooperation agreement with US War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Speculation on details
People are speculating about the details of the agreement:
- Will it allow the Americans to base troops in Indonesia and use Indonesian airspace for their air assets?
- Will American naval vessels be allowed to dock at the old Dutch port of Belawan, near Medan, in Northern Sumatra, which is near the opening to the Strait?
- Will the Malacca Strait now become the focal point in this great power struggle between America and China?
- What will Indonesia’s other BRICs partners, principally China and Russia think of Indonesia’s move in signing this agreement with the Americans?
To spice things up, Indonesian President Probowo Subianto was in Moscow a few days ago meeting with President Putin.
Lim Tean is a Singaporean lawyer, politician and commentator. He is the founder of the political party People’s Voice and a co-founder of the political alliance People’s Alliance for Reform.
This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.