But with the Belt and Road Initiative, a trillion-dollar megaproject proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, and the Maritime Silk Road connecting three continents, which is part of it, China has grand ambitions in the Indian Ocean. Singapore is a country traditionally friendly to the United States. Turkey, Pakistan Vow Full Support To Azerbaijan Against Armenia; US, Iran Call For De-Escalation. If India, Pakistan breaks out, which Islamabad has been speculating with repeated warnings to the global community, the Chinese will be impacted the most. The waterway, with its narrowest point measuring only 2.8 km wide, is an important conduit for China to connect its naval and trading fleets to the Indian Ocean. As a result, the neighbour always bothers and causes inconvenience in the world as is the case when living in a block of flats. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. China has also been developing partnerships with Bangladesh and Myanmar to gain access to its ports in the Bay of Bengal. This is certainly a big responsibility for the Solok Literacy Community to continue to commit to grounding literacy in Solok City. Singapore had proposed to use U.S. warships, thus becoming the largest U.S. military base in Asia. New Delhi didn’t hesitate to threaten Beijing by countering China’s violence in June. The Indian Navy has been building partnership with all the littoral states and small island states such as Mauritius and Seychelles to counter the Chinese threat. By that time the Japanese had established a strong foothold in Southeast Asia, and Allied units were gathering in the hopes of fighting them off. Supporting Singapore, Taiwan and Japan is certainly not an act of humanism and holding on to the “medieval” petromonarchies of the Near East does not mean strengthening the much-vaunted democracy. After Indonesia can prove that there is a natural prolongation of the continental shelf. ; The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar and Peninsular Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. China’s oil trade through this route is around 80 percent. He holds prestigious academic distinctions and national orders. And there where the Extended Continental Shelf submission should play an important role. The importance of the Strait of Malacca in global trade networks continued well into later centuries with the rise of the Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century, the Johor Sultanate, and the rise of the modern city-state of Singapore. The key factor is that many raw materials and materials for energy development must pass through this Strait. They traded glassware, camphor, cotton goods, brocades, ivory, sandalwood, perfume, and precious stones. Having a 3,260 km coastline, covering much of the western part of South China Sea, Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) overlaps with Chinese claims based on the legally invalid and vaguely defined Nine-Dash Line concept, unacceptable for all the other countries in the region, including Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. This strait connects Okhotsk sea and sea of Japan. Interesting Facts about Straits of World. Theories such as ‘String of Pearls’ shed light on an overambitious Beijing, whichattempts to encircle India with ports and bases operating under its control. The majority of traffic through the strait comes from ships sailing to China.The strait also has an important role in military operations. Apart from the Indian warships, the US Navy has also been muscle-flexing in the region. Solok Literacy Community initiated by the young people of Solok City has grown rapidly into a community that has its own trendsetter among young people. Views Personel, Copyright ©2021. The countries that have a large economic power gap vis-à-vis the United States are defined as “far away”, while the others close to the United States in terms of economic power and strength are defined as “near”. Afghan Peace Talks: Afghanistan’s Chief Peace Negotiator Lands In Pakistan. On June 8, the Pakistani government approved a $7.2bn, to a railway which will connect Gwadar to Kashgar, China. The fact that Indonesia has no maritime border with any neighboring states in the Southwest of Sumatra. Well, it seems odd that despite its common socialistic political backgrounds, China and Vietnam remains largely hostile. The port is not yet operating at capacity, but the direction seems clear. The dense maritime traffic that passes through the Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest sea-routes of the world, has revived interest in the long-awaited Kra Canal project, which would artificially l The Straits of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water in South East Asia that is 550 miles long and is located between the east coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the west coast of the Malay Peninsula.It is linked to the Strait of Singapore at its southeast end. KUALA LUMPUR – As the world focuses warily on China’s moves to dominate and militarise the South China Sea, tensions simmering in the Strait of Malacca which risks becoming another flashpoint have been largely overlooked. Bai Chi, one of the thousands of Chinese tankers that regularly traverse Malacca.. the shortest sea route between suppliers in Africa and the Persian Gulf and markets in Asia, thus making it one of the main geographical hubs of black gold in the world. Malacca Strait. Malacca The Straits of Malacca connects two primary networks of shipping routes. Strait of Tartary disconnects the Russian Island of Sakhalin from mainland Asia and Connects Sea of Okhotsk on the north with the Sea of Japan on the south. Over 90% of the crude oil arriving in that sea pass through the Strait of Malacca, i.e. Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from Sumatra, and connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea. Today, India partners with both France and the United States, Vietnam’s former colonizers, in its Indo-Pacific vision, comfortably along with Vietnam as geopolitical dynamics witnessed a sea change in the past few years and decades. Malacca Strait. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If Singapore wants to control its own power in the Strait of Malacca, it must contain and curb China. Solok Literacy Community activities can be checked directly through instagram social media accounts @solok_literasi. The Strait of Malacca is a narrow 500-mile strait that connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. Moreover, the land route passes through the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region, which is under Pakistani control, but is also claimed by India. Even though India maintained consulate-level relations with the then North and South Vietnams before the re-unification, it was elevated to ambassadorial level in 1972, thereby establishing full diplomatic ties that year. Notwithstanding all this, India’s response has been robust and proactive. The Malacca Strait Bridge (Indonesian: Jembatan Selat Malaka, Malaysian: Jambatan Selat Melaka or JSM and Jembatan Selmal) is a proposed bridge that would connect Telok Gong, near Masjid Tanah, Malacca state in Peninsula Malaysia, Malaysia to Rupat Island and Dumai in Sumatra island, Indonesia. This is the reason why – although China also has a huge export market – many of the bulk goods will be waiting in line to pass through Singapore’s “Caudine Forks”. On September 24, 2019 Singapore and the United States signed the Protocol amending the 1990 Memorandum of Understanding on the U.S. use of facilities in Singapore. New Delhi has never issued any such threat … The Straits of Sunda and Lombok provide deep water alternatives to the Malacca Strait, within close proximity to the Australian mainland reinforcing the maritime dominated reality of the Indo-Pacifi The Indo-Pacific’s maritime choke points: Sunda and Lombok - Defence Connect As long as the deepwater port – where large military and commercial fleets can dock – is well-established, the place of delivery/passage for raw materials in Southeast Asia, from the Near and Middle East, the EU and Africa, will inevitably be Singapore. The United States supports Singapore, which has some influence in Southeast Asia because it has no strong neighbours. It is jointly governed by Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Reportedly, Thailand has shelved the proposal to build the canal by replacing it with another proposal and has invited the QUAD nations including India, Australia for the project. First, one could not underestimate the economic potential of the Continental Shelf, since the US Truman Proclamation in 1945, countries have been aware of the economic potential from the oil and gas exploration in the continental shelf. The Geneva Accords of 1954, which ended the First Indochina War, gave the erstwhile South Vietnam control of territories south of the 17th Parallel, which included these island groups. Chinese presence in Gwadar in Pakistan, where the Maritime Silk Route meets the land route of BRI, is also a matter of concern for India. Solok Literacy Community has a long-term goal of making Solok City as a Literacy City in 2025. Experts suggest that China is especially worried because in case of war breaks out with the US or India or both, Beijing could be choked for supplies. , the USS Ronald and USS Nimitz carrier strikes groups, comprising more than 12,000 US military personnel among the two aircraft carriers and their escorting cruisers and destroyers, were operating in the South China Sea under its Pacific Fleet. Strait of Malacca. All rights reserved. Authors: Aristyo Rizka Darmawan and Arie Afriansyah*. Disrupting the Strait of Malacca could heavily impact China’s energy supply. It is the shortest sea route between Persian Gulf suppliers and key Asian markets. It runs between the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the west and peninsular (West) Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand to the east and has an area of about 25,000 square miles (65,000 square km). The country’s 80% of oil and gas passes through the Strait of Malacca. Middle East futures: Decade(s) of defiance and dissent. In its fourth year since the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, December 2020 witnessed an enhanced cooperation between New Delhi and Hanoi, ranging from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to defence and maritime cooperation, amid common concerns about China. Even though in his second term of administration global maritime fulcrum has nearly never been discussed, this momentum could be a good time to prove that Indonesia are still committed to the Global maritime fulcrum by enhancing more maritime diplomacy. Straits of Malacca is a funnel-shaped narrow waterway of 800 km long that connects the South China Sea and the Andaman Sea. The violent clashes at the Indo-Sino border including the first one in June that killed 20 Indian troops have led to severe escalations of tensions. The Malacca Strait is a vital communication line that connects the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. And third, it is also showing that President Joko Widodo’s global maritime fulcrum agenda is not yet to perish. “. The Strait of Malacca and the Indonesian archipelago. However, the most important thing to realize the potential benefit of the extended continental shelf as discussed earlier, Indonesia should have a strategy and road map how what to do after Indonesia gets the extended continental shelf. The trade route to the Indian Ocean across the Strait of Malacca has problems with pirates, shipwrecks, mist, sediments and shallows. To the west lies the Indian Ocean, with routes extending from the western coast of the Malay Peninsula to the shores of Africa, and to the east the South China Sea, with Located between the Malay Peninsula and the Island of … The Strait of Malacca, which flows between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean through the South China Sea. Professor Giancarlo Elia Valori is an eminent Italian economist and businessman. Smriti has studied journalism from Xavier Institute of Communications in Mumbai. And, Beijing has invested a whopping $60B in the CPEC project, so India endangers both Chinese supply lines and economic interest in the region. Joins: Andaman Sea & South China Sea. In the event of a geopolitical upheaval, it wouldn’t be very difficult for China’s primary maritime lifeline to … China is also actively encouraging Myanmar to build an oil pipeline connecting Yunnan to Burmese ports. With nearly a year of pandemic, Indonesia’s not only facing a serious health crisis but also an economic catastrophe. Edited By Xavier Francis. The Straits of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water in South East Asia that is 550 miles long and is located between the east coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the west coast of the Malay Peninsula.It is linked to the Strait of Singapore at its southeast end. Not to mention the geographical elements of natural prolongation of the continental shelf that has to be proved by geologist. Two Ways that Trump Spread Covid-19 in U.S. Israel continues its air strikes against Syria after Biden’s inauguration: What’s next? Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Location: Indonesia –Malaysia. The EurAsian Times. According to the data of the U.S. Energy Information Administration, over 30% of maritime crude oil trade passes through the South China Sea.Over 90% of the crude oil arriving in that sea pass through the Strait of Malacca, i.e. The Strait of Malacca, which connects the South China Sea with the Burma Sea on its way to the Bay of Bengal, is the busiest commercial crossing in the world and, therefore, is a strategic place. This means, if China ups the ante in the Indian Ocean or in the Tibetan border along the Himalayas, India will intensify its joint exercises and defence cooperation with Vietnam. Second, as the Indo-Pacific region is getting more significant in world affairs, it is strategic for Indonesia to have a more strategic presence in the region. The Singapore Strait, a strategic international shipping lane which connects the Strait of Malacca to the South China Sea and Java Sea. The Strait of Malacca, which connects the South China Sea with the Burma Sea on its way to the Bay of Bengal, is the busiest commercial crossing in the world and, therefore, is a strategic place. Singapore, which can be said aligned with the US policy, dominates the narrow passage, which can stifle China’s survival. The Bosporus Strait (or Bosphorus) connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. One such alternative is building the Kra Canal by pushing Thailand to expedite the work. Joins: Andaman Sea & South China Sea. It also separates Asian Turkey from European Turkey (Trace), thus it separates the two continents. Hence although the canal tolls may be much lower than the cost of development, China would still be willing to encourage Thailand to implement the project in view of creating another route bypassing U.S. control. Without the Strait of Malacca, there would be no maritime centre absorbing the surrounding commercial and financial forces. This will make Indonesia not only an object of the geopolitical competition to utilize resources in the region, but also a player in getting the economic potential of the region. In case of conflict, the Strait of Malacca could easily be blocked, thus cutting China off from crucial energy resources. Strait is the narrow body of water that separates two landmarks but connects two big seas for example Strait of Tartary that separates Russian Island of Sakhalin from Mainland Asia and connects Sea of Okhotsk on the north, with the Sea of Japan on the south. According to top military officials cited by HT, the airstrip at INS Kohassa, Shibpur in North Andamans and the Campbell strip at Nicobar will be upgraded into full-fledged fighter bases. It has now deployed additional troops and is boosting infrastructure on the archipelago to choke China’s Malacca route if needed. Gwadar may be a much better option for China to carry out trade, however, it still requires to operate through sea routes to reach the port from where the land route will be taken. Widest strait of world – Denmark strait (or Greenland strait) which separates Greenland from Iceland. China rejected the ruling and continued to build artificial islands in the South China Sea, which it has been doing since 2013, some of them later militarized to gain favourable strategic footholds in the sea and the entire region. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The Straits of Malacca is one of the busiest and strategically important waterways in the world. With little success pursuing alternative sea routes, Beijing’s ambitious CPEC program allows an alternative route by linking it through roads and highways. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses. Channel is a wide strait or waterway between two landmasses. The Paracel and the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea has been historically considered part of Vietnam. While there are several major transit routes or sea lines of communication (SLOC) that offer entry into the South China Sea – the Sunda Strait and the Lombok Strait among them – the Strait of Malacca is by far the most widely used. The Strait of Malacca became an important maritime trade route between India and China. Is Mike Pompeo the worst Secretary of State in history? The project has been submitted for government approval, and is expected to take 10 years to complete. (It is one of the highest-volume shipping lanes in the world.) Nevertheless, on January 16, 2020, the Thai House of Representatives decided to set up a committee to study the Thai Canal project. The funnel-shaped channel of the Malacca Strait is 800 km long and connects the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. The Strait of Malacca is a strategic waterway between Indonesia and Malaysia through which the majority of Chinese imports pass. In 1992 he was appointed Officier de la Légion d’Honneur de la République Francaise, with this motivation: “A man who can see across borders to understand the world” and in 2002 he received the title “Honorable” of the Académie des Sciences de l’Institut de France. The 100-kilometre artificial connection with the Indian Ocean would benefit not only China and ASEAN, but also trade of Japan and other countries, including the EU. Located between the Malay Peninsula and the Island of … This is a major set back for Beijing, not just in terms its vulnerability in the Malacca Strait but with building pressure from the US and India, its strongest ally, Thailand, has left China in a rut. Starting from the free reading stall movement that has been moving in various corners of Solok City over the past few months. The Malacca Strait Bridge (Indonesian: Jembatan Selat Malaka, Malaysian: Jambatan Selat Melaka or JSM and Jembatan Selmal) is a proposed bridge that would connect Telok Gong, near Masjid Tanah, Malacca state in Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysia to Rupat Island and Dumai in Sumatra island, Indonesia. Although the Chinese strategic oil reserves are sent from neighbouring countries, it is difficult to go on for over 60 days with reserves alone. At that juncture, maritime trade in East and South-East Asia would leave the polis, which would be bound to lose its importance as a maritime bulwark and could even lose the U.S. protection. Therefore, it will help Indonesia prepare a long-term economic strategy to recover from the pandemic. Malacca strait connects four countries in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. This is a part of China’s Maritime Silk Road initiative, a key constituent of the ambitious One Belt One Road project. China is willing to invest significantly and the aim is to bypass U.S. control, which has completely blocked China from the Pacific islands to Southeast Asia. It should be added that all military operations would be delayed. Gibraltar Strait . The importance of the Strait of Malacca in global trade networks continued well into later centuries with the rise of the Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century, the Johor Sultanate, and the rise of the modern city-state of Singapore. Early traders from Arabia, Africa, Persia, and the Southern Indian kingdoms reached Kedah before arriving at Guangzhou. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Armenia's Existential Threats and Strategic Issues, A character assassination campaign against the Crown Prince. The Strait of Malacca is the shortest waterway which connects the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. strategy is to establish a long-term objective to prevent competitors from producing and developing cooperation. While Gwadar is a safer route as it lies in a third country, the biggest issue is that it passes through Pakistan-administered-Kashmir, a region claimed by India, which New Delhi vehemently objects to the CPEC project. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The reason is the same as Japan’s, because the United States has interests in the Far East, while keeping on encircling China, thus trying to break “the string of pearls”. He currently chairs “International World Group”, he is also the honorary president of Huawei Italy, economic adviser to the Chinese giant HNA Group. Connects: Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean Seperates: Malaysia and Sumatra. Established on September 21, 2020 in Solok City, West Sumatra Province, Indonesia. The Strait of Malacca, which flows between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean through the South China Sea. How the West failed to understand contemporary Russia. Ships have passed through it for centuries, and trading posts grew up from an early stage, which simultaneously became centres of education, science and art. This artificial canal would be about 100 kilometres from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, so that the trade zone of South-East Asia should not pass through the Strait of Malacca. The Indian Navy holding a Passex with Vietnam in the South China Sea, which is China’s backyard, is a clear message to Beijing. Mr. Valori has lectured on international affairs and economics at the world’s leading universities such as Peking University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Yeshiva University in New York. The importance of this is underlined by China’s 2018 Arctic policy. The congested narrow sea route that lies between Malaysia and Singapore is one of the world’s busiest and most important sea lanes. Until the country can be conquered by force, the financial and commercial development model leads to a very high success rate. Affordable and search from millions of royalty free images, photos and vectors. People lose their jobs and GDP expected to shrink by 1.5 percent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Therefore, unlike Malaysia’s extended continental shelf proposal in the South China Sea that provoke many political responses from many states, it is less likely that Indonesia extended continental shelf proposal will raise protest from any states. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. There was no reason given for China's raised alert in the Malacca Strait, a stretch of water passing Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia that connects the Indian and Pacific oceans. An estimated 25% of the world’s trade passes through this narrow strait, making it important economically, as well as politically. Bass strait. Strait of Malacca, waterway connecting the Andaman Sea ( Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea ( Pacific Ocean ). Then a class of interests and talents aimed at reactivating the soft skills and great talents of the children of Solok City. The Chinese state-owned companies Liu Gong Machinery Co. Ltd and XCMG, as well as the private company Sany Heavy Industry Co Ltd, have taken the initiative to create a study group for the construction of the Kra Canal. The Kra Canal would be controlled by China. Continental shelf is that part of the seabed over which a coastal State exercises sovereign rights concerning the exploration and exploitation of natural resources including oil and gas deposits as well as other minerals and biological resources. Milestones in India-Vietnam ties – a quick look-back. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! China's apprehension is that major naval powers are controlling the Malacca Strait between Malaysia and Indonesia as a result of which vital supply lines are interdicted. Straits are sometimes navigable, depending on factors such as width and depth. The other route around the Malacca Strait is the Northern Sea Route, up and around Russia. Sailor takes a cigarette break during his session on a freighter ship that is anchored in the Strait of Malacca. Bab-ul-Mandab disconnects Arabian Peninsula from Africa and joins Red Sea and Persian Gulf. Its accident rate is twice as high as the Suez Canal and four times higher than the Panama Canal. The Malacca Strait holds economic importance as it connects the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean with almost 84,000 ships passing through it every year carrying around 30 percent of global sea trade. Join: Mediterranean Sea & Atlantic Ocean Location: Spain-Morocco The Strait of Gibraltar is located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. , the airstrip at INS Kohassa, Shibpur in North Andamans and the Campbell strip at Nicobar will be upgraded into full-fledged fighter bases. In 2016, China lost a case brought out by the Philippines at the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague when the court ruled that Beijing’s had no legal basis to claim ‘historic rights’ as per the nine-dash line. The strait has a width of about 890 kilometres and a depth of 25 meters. In this regard, the United States is also actively cooperating with Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. India has enjoyed one area of strategic advantage over China for many years: its ability to interdict Chinese shipping at the Malacca Strait. Sunda Strait. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. It is a strait that separates Asia from Africa. The Strait of Messina has a width of approximately 1.9 miles at its narrowest point, between Villa San Giovanni and Torre Faro, and a maxim… The Malacca Strait connects (a) The Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (b) The Pacific and Southern Oceans (c) The Pacific and Indian Oceans (d) The Pacific and Arctic Oceans “Diskusi Ngopi” activities which in fact is the concept of FGD (Focus Group Discussion), run with interesting themes and issues so that it can be considered as one of the favorite programs that are often attended by many young people in Solok. India has naval capabilities near the Indian Ocean chokepoints especially around the Malacca Strait which connects the Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific, these waters hold a lot of importance for China since it is a crucial route for energy and trade. Singapore has a surface of 721.5 square kilometres only, less than the province of Lodi, Lombardy. After working for Deloitte for three years, she switched to journalism to pursue her interest in media and reporting.She has a bachelor’s degree in commerce and is interested in reporting on subjects including politics, international affairs and business and finance.CONTACT: Online Consumer Complaint in India – Register Your Online Consumer Complaint HERE. STRAIT OF MALACCA (NNS) -- The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) navigated through the Strait of Malacca June 14, while transiting toward the 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) in support of maritime security operations. Both Vietnam and India share territorial borders with China. So, India’s engagement with Vietnam, which has a long coast in this sea, is a serious matter of concern for Beijing. Jakarta government therefore should work hard to anticipate the worst condition in 2021. It is jointly governed by Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Currently, eighty percent of China’s oil has to pass through the Strait of Malacca, a narrow stretch of water between the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. Currently, eighty percent of China’s oil has to pass through the Strait of Malacca, a narrow stretch of water between the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. The Strait of Malacca is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes A land passageway would connect the Indian and Pacific Oceans, bypassing one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.