[woooooo]

Look at the map, all ocean travel between East Asia and India/Europe basically has to go past Singapore. They've been a trade and financial center with a substantial chinese population for a long time.

[miyuru]

> Look at the map, all ocean travel between East Asia and India/Europe basically has to go past Singapore.

Same can be said about Sri Lanka.

[woooooo]

Its less funneled although most straight lines will approach the southern tip of India. Singapore is one of 2 possible ways through Indonesia and its the shorter one.