Published : 03/03/2026
For those who follow current affairs, may have heard the term "Malacca Dilemma", but what exactly is the Malacca Dilemma? What does it have to do with China's petroleum?
China's 90% seaborne crude oil must pass through this route
Modern society cannot do without petroleum, and this is especially true for China, the world's largest manufacturing country.
However, China has long been unable to be self-sufficient in petroleum, approximately 70% of its crude oil is imported, and of that, about 90% is transported by sea.
Due to the geographical location of its main supplier countries, such as those in the Middle East and Africa, about 80% of its seaborne crude oil passes through the Strait of Malacca during peak periods.
Simply put, more than half of the crude oil used by China must pass through the Strait of Malacca. Therefore, some media outlets have described that whoever controls the Strait of Malacca controls the lifeline of China's petroleum supply.
It should be noted that it is not only crude oil that passes through the Strait of Malacca, but also a certain amount of natural gas, as well as various types of trade goods exported from China.
So, where is this important Strait of Malacca? It is located in Southeast Asia, between the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, and is named after the ancient Malaysian city of Malacca on its coast.
The strait connects the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea, is 1,080 kilometres long, and is only 2.8 kilometres wide at its narrowest point.
It is a crucial chokepoint connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as the fastest shipping route for East Asia to travel to and from the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, making its strategic value self-evident.
Listed by the US as a chokepoint that must be controlled
Is it possible to not go through the Strait of Malacca? The map shows that ships travelling between east and west can take alternative routes such as Indonesia's Sunda Strait and Lombok Strait, however, these routes may have poor transit conditions or are much longer, increasing transport and time costs, and are thus not the preferred choice.
Malacca is a strait, so where does the "dilemma" come from?
Currently, the Strait of Malacca is jointly managed by the neighbouring countries of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, but when talking about this strait, two countries with more complex relations with China must be mentioned—the United States and India.
The United States is the world's foremost power, and in its global strategy, the Strait of Malacca is one of 16 waterway chokepoints that must be controlled.
In fact, the United States has a military base in Singapore at the southern end of the Strait of Malacca and maintains a military presence in the region.
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How can China solve the Malacca Dilemma?
India is more than 2,000 kilometres from the Strait of Malacca, which seems very distant, but the country's Andaman Islands are near the northern end of the Strait, and it also maintains a military presence there.
As mentioned earlier, whoever controls the Strait of Malacca can, to a large extent, control the lifeline of China's petroleum supply.
If a country were to blockade the Strait of Malacca for some reason, China's oil route would be greatly affected. Some media outlets describe the Strait of Malacca as having become a byword for China's energy insecurity, and this is where the 'dilemma' lies.
How can China to solve the "Malacca Dilemma"? Many experts and scholars have been studying related issues.
Also, searching online or asking AI will also reveal many approaches, such as reducing risks by diversifying routes, buffering the impact through strategic reserves, creating a favourable environment through diplomatic cooperation, and providing security by strengthening military power, and so on.
Of course, promoting new and alternative energy sources and reducing reliance on oil are also necessary measures.
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