The 'Malacca Dilemma' Nightmare Comes True: China's Energy Security on High Alert

With the drastic changes in the geopolitical landscape, the 'Malacca Dilemma' that has long troubled Beijing is facing even more severe challenges. Following the recent announcement by the U.S. and Indonesia to upgrade their bilateral defense ties to a 'Major Defense Cooperation Partnership' (MDCP), which provides the U.S. military with space to intervene and control the global energy chokepoint—the Strait of Malacca—China's energy security has once again flashed red. Especially with ongoing issues in key crude oil source countries like Venezuela and Iran, how China responds to the 'Malacca Dilemma' has become an unavoidable strategic Achilles' heel. How China responds to the 'Malacca Dilemma' has become an unavoidable strategic Achilles' heel.