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Not long ago, a news that attracted international attention once again refreshed people's concerns about the security of global offshore oil trade. On May 3, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy again seized a Panamanian-flagged U.S. tanker, the second time Iran has taken such action in just one week. The U.S. Navy Command's Fifth Fleet issued a statement pointing out that the incident occurred from the earlier U.S. seizure of Iranian oil tankers, and the escalation of the situation showed the sensitivity of the maritime oil trade in the global political landscape. To understand the complexity of this issue, let's review the events involved and their root causes.
First, let's put aside the specifics and look at the background and resources on both sides. Iran and the United States each control two key maritime communication routes: the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca. The Strait of Hormuz is home to one-third of the world's seaborne oil trade, and Iran's geographical location and large oil exports allow it to master this route. The limited depth of the water and the reef make it necessary for tankers to be particularly careful when passing, allowing Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz with relative ease, where the U.S. Navy cannot effectively deter.
In contrast, the United States succeeded in gaining control of the Strait of Malacca in 2004 through the establishment of the Changi Naval Base, which allowed it to block more than 90 percent of Southeast Asia's shipping lanes. This also gives the United States the ability to interfere with China's maritime material shipments in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, posing a threat to China's energy security.
So why do Iran and the United States clash so often over maritime oil trade? The root cause lies in each other's dissatisfaction with each other's behavior. The United States has seized Iranian tankers bound for China in the Strait of Malacca, and the U.S. Marines have even threatened to confiscate all of the tanker's crude oil. This action is considered to be retaliation for Iran's seizure of U.S. tankers in the Persian Gulf, which is one of the direct reasons for Iran's seizure of U.S. tankers. The conflict between the two sides has resulted in the seizure of several oil tankers from countries such as the United States in the past two years.
The reason why Iran acted so resolutely, in addition to its dissatisfaction with the United States, is because the maritime oil trade is vital to Iran. China is an important partner for Iran in this field, and Iran urgently needs to protect this cooperation. However, the U.S. threat has unnerved Iran, fearing that in the future, the United States may indiscriminately seize oil tankers bound for China, threatening China's energy security.
To avoid this, China needs to take a series of measures. First, China can strengthen energy cooperation with Russia, reduce the proportion of seaborne oil, and increase the proportion of oil transported by pipeline. Second, China could build an oil pipeline on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, bypass the Strait of Malacca, and transit Middle Eastern oil through Pakistan into China. Finally, China and Russia could strengthen cooperation on Arctic shipping lanes to ensure that Arctic maritime shipping lanes can be opened up and reduced dependence on the Strait of Malacca.
In summary, the security of global offshore oil trade is closely related to the international political landscape. The conflict between Iran and the United States reflects the complexity and sensitivity of the maritime oil trade. As an important oil importer, China must actively take measures to reduce its dependence on seaborne oil to ensure energy security. At the same time, the international community should also pay close attention to this issue and make efforts to maintain the stability of global offshore oil trade.
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