Malaysia assured of no possible Chinese aggression in South China Sea: PM

NEW YORK – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been assured that there is no reason to be unduly concerned about tensions escalating in the South China Sea, including the possibility of China becoming aggressive in staking its supposed claim over the huge international waters.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, he said he gained confidence on this after being given assurances by Chinese premier Li Qiang whom he had met at the Asean Summit in Jakarta in early September and during his day-trip to China on September 17.

The prime minister said he had raised the issue of China’s new map which included parts of Malaysia’s territorial water with Li on both occasions.

“The response by premier Li Qiang is quite reassuring,” Anwar told Bloomberg’s Haslinda Amin during the interview at the Conrad New York Midtown hotel in New York last week.

Anwar was present in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

According to him, Li said that although China had staked its claims it will not be aggressive.

He added that Li told him that China will continue to negotiate and seek an amicable resolution to the issue.

Last month, China’s Natural Resources Ministry had issued its ‘China Standard Map Edition 2023’ which included the exclusive economic zone maritime areas of Malaysia near Sabah and Sarawak, Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam, as well as several areas in India.

He said the took a more optimistic view of the future, especially on fears that there may be clashes.

“We have to advise parties not to unnecessarily provoke. But we have to be, of course, mindful,” he said, stressing that Asean is in a strong position to encourage dialogue and dissuade provocation.

Malaysia’s defence capabilities

Anwar stressed that while the US has traditionally been an ally, China is a vital trading partner.

However, the issue of South China Sea should best be resolved within the Asean region, he stressed.

“The US has been the traditional ally of ours that promotes democracy. I mean, this is quite a key to what we believe in,” he said.

“But I think our position in the region is to ensure that we have excellent terms with our neighbours, particularly on pragmatic considerations, that China is an important trading partner and the largest investor in Malaysia.

“Now, as far as the South China Sea is concerned, our position and the centrality of Asean is that it should be resolved within Asean and within the region.”

Asked about whether Malaysia is beefing up its defence capabilities, Anwar acknowledged that these are “probably a bit weak” in the region.

“I think there is a need to strengthen (the country’s defence) – but not go beyond that because our relations with our neighbours are excellent.

“There's no reason to be unduly concerned about the possibility of tensions,” he said.

On the effects on the Philippines gravitating towards the US, Anwar said that President Bongbong Marcos is rightfully concerned about the developments in the South China Sea, while his country has already traditionally been a close ally of the United States.

“I don't think one should be overly concerned about (the) tilting because, finally, they (the Philippines) believe in the centrality of Asean,” he said.

Anwar stressed that Marcos continues to have reasonably good relations with China, and so he does not foresee any possibility of a clash.

Rhetorics of the past

On the prospects of the world becoming increasingly fragmented leading to greater geopolitical risks, Anwar said that the present situation is not as bad as in the past when there was the Cold War.

“We somehow or the other managed to circumvent that,” he said, describing the present scenario as “simmering tensions”

“But I don't believe it's something that should be too worrisome when it comes to bilateral, multilateral arrangements. I think the economic fundamentals stick.”

Asked to comment on US president Joe Biden’s declaration that the US is regaining its leadership in the world, Anwar brushed the issue aside as irrelevant.

“These are, I believe, the rhetorics of the past,” he said.

“It doesn't matter to me,” he stressed, explaining that the main issue is that there should be engagement engage and policies of major powers like China and India benefit other countries. – The Vibes, September 24, 2023