What is the important position of the Straits of Malacca on international routes?

Malacca Strait is an important international waterway both economically and militarily. The importance can be compared with Suez Canal or Panama Canal.

The Straits of Malacca is an important waterway between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, connecting three populous countries in the world: China, India and Indonesia. In addition, it is also an important channel for oil from West Asia to East Asia. Japan, an economic power, often calls the Straits of Malacca its "lifeline".

About 5, ships pass through the Straits of Malacca every year. With the economic rise of China, it is estimated that this number will double in 2 years. It accounts for one-fifth to one-quarter of the world's maritime trade. A quarter of the world's oil tankers pass through the Straits of Malacca. For example, in 23, it was estimated that 11 million barrels of oil passed through the Straits of Malacca a day.

As a waterway connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, Malacca Strait is the shortest sea route between India and China, so it is also one of the busiest waterways in the world. In the early years, it helped a large number of Asian immigrants determine the direction of crossing the Malay archipelago. The Straits of Malacca were successively controlled by Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and British.

in the 2th century, the oil wells in the east coast of Sumatra, not far from the Sunda shelf, made some oil companies start to explore oil in the Maliujia Strait. Besides other ships, the Straits of Malacca can also be used for large oil tankers sailing between oil fields in the Middle East and seaports in Japan and other East Asian countries.