Econ/geography question from reading the news

[AndrewR]

I was reading an article on MSNBC regarding piracy in the Strait of Malacca, and it stated that shipping the strait accounts for 60,000 ships, about half the world's oil and 1/3 of world trade. It went on to say this:

That includes nearly all of U.S. imports from China and 80 percent of the oil used by economic powers Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

My question is: Why would ANY US imports from China move through the Strait of Malacca if China is located NNE of the strait, and the US is east of China so ships would leave the Chinese mainland and head the opposite direction from the strait?

It doesn't make any sense to me, but perhaps I'm just reading it with tired eyes.

Here's the article

 

[Anubis]

interesting that does seem odd

 

[IronWing]

Container ships work their way clockwise around the Pacific. I'm not sure why they would go through the straight even with this rotation unless Bangladesh and India are included in the loop.

 

[Epic Fail]

It makes more sense if US is replaced with Europe.

 

[montanafan]

I don't think they're talking about the U.S. importing oil from China, just U.S. imports from China in general.

Edit: It was a badly worded sentence, like the one I wrote and had to edit.

 

[Epic Fail]

Originally posted by: ironwing
Container ships work their way clockwise around the Pacific. I'm not sure why they would go through the straight even with this rotation unless Bangladesh and India are included in the loop.

Are you sure about this, because by going clockwise it will double your distance.

 

[Epic Fail]

Originally posted by: montanafan
I don't think they're talking about the U.S. importing oil from China, just U.S. imports from China in general.

Edit: It was a badly worded sentence, like the one I wrote and had to edit.

Yes, it is talking about U.S. imports from China and that's why the question arises, the article is saying nearly all US imports from China use the Strait of Malacca.


Here is something I found about trade between Northeast Asia and New York:

http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/2004/11/22/nyregion/port.gif

only 2% is coming from the Strait of Malacca, and it will be 0% for trade between Northeast Asia and California ports.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: yamadakun

Originally posted by: ironwing
Container ships work their way clockwise around the Pacific. I'm not sure why they would go through the straight even with this rotation unless Bangladesh and India are included in the loop.

Are you sure about this, because by going clockwise it will double your distance.

I won't swear to it but that is my understanding. The reason for clockwise trade is that it brings Chinese and Japanese goods to the US (the bulk of the movement) with fewer intervening stops.

A coworker discussed the the time it took to move his household to and from Guam. He said the trip to Guam was quick but that getting his stuff back to the US took a couple months as the ships made their way around the Pacific rim clockwise.

 

[montanafan]

yamadakun, when they say trade from China are they including Hong Kong and/or talking about Taiwan?