Strait of Hormuz: A Geopolitical Risk Ignored by Asia
The Strait of Hormuz—a 33 km-wide choke point between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula—is arguably the most geopolitically sensitive maritime corridor in the world. Through this narrow waterway flows nearly a fifth of global crude oil production, a lifeline for global economic stability. However, the overwhelming strategic reality remains under-acknowledged: over 80% of oil passing through Hormuz is destined for Asia, and China alone accounts for one-third of the shipments. Given this disproportionate dependency, it is paradoxical that the burden of securing the strait still falls primarily on Western powers, particularly the United States.
In a changing global order marked by mounting geopolitical risk, it is time for Asia’s major powers—China, India, Japan, ...