Troubled straits: Analyzing trade chokepoints in the South China Sea

Each year, more than half of all international trade travels by sea, flowing along established routes that converge at strategically critical “chokepoints” where disruptions can cascade across global commerce.

Maritime chokepoints have surged to the forefront of global attention amid the 2026 Iran war and intensifying geopolitical competition. Since March, Iran has wreaked havoc on global energy markets by largely severing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles over one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade flows. Tehran’s actions have showcased that controlling a key waterway can significantly augment a country’s power and deterrence.

The stakes are even higher in the South China Sea, where chokepoints connect many of the world’s most important economic centers. The two busiest of these, the Malacca Strait and the Taiwan Strait, dwarf the Strait of Hormuz in maritime traffic, with each handling trillions of dollars of goods each year. 

Read more at Center for Strategic and International Studies