February 02, 2009

Bangka: A New Pearl On the String


An obscure developer called the "Fujian Mining Company" will develop a waterfront city in Ketapang on the island of Bangka off the coast of Sumatra (Indonesia) strategically located south of Singapore. The development will allow the company to extract tin ores (the area is very rich in tin and has been mined by Chinese for centuries) in exchange for hotels and quays and other tourism related facilities. The quays will most likely be large enough for bulk carriers and other big ships. Tin prices are up regionally but could the real motive behind this development be to create a "pearl" in the so-called "String of Pearls" China is establishing to protect its sea route through the Strait of Malacca? The location could also protect the Strait of Sunda to the south.


As recently as 1975, Chinese made up close to 5% of the population of Bangka Island and as far back as 1867 Chinese were so numerous the Dutch allowed them to conduct their own affairs there...

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