KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 8): Any real-life disruption to the sea lanes to the east and west of Taiwan could have a crippling effect on China’s own economy, since its major ports of Shanghai, Dalian, Tianjin, and others are dependent on passage through waters near Taiwan.
Industry news portal The Maritime Executive on Sunday (Aug 7) reported that the Taiwan Strait is the major conduit for shipping from North Asia, including China, Japan and South Korea, to the rest of the world, and it is also the most direct route from South China to the US.
The portal said China’s live-fire drills surrounding Taiwan over the weekend simulated an economic blockade, with Chinese forces positioned to halt access to the island nation’s main ports.
It said dozens of ships heading to or from North Asia were forced to shift their routes, or slow down to keep clear of the danger zones in both the Taiwan Strait and on the island’s eastern seaboard.
An average of 240 ships a day normally pass through the area, it said.
The report added that commercial flights were also interrupted by China’s military exercise. Korean Air, Singapore Airlines and Asiana Airlines suspended flights to Taipei, while other airlines, such as Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific, said they were avoiding the designated zones.
Airlines are accustomed to diverting around warzones and military exercises, but any blockade of Taiwan’s airspace would have profound economic effects.
A large share of Taiwan’s exports is carried by airfreight rather than by sea.
The Maritime Executive also said the likelihood that any blockade would be contested implies that it would be not only Taiwanese trade that would be halted, but the vast flow of resources into China’s northern ports and manufactured goods out.