EMERGING economies like Malaysia should not be forced to take sides in the rivalry between economic heavyweights US and China, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The prime minister said Malaysia and many other countries in Asia wish to remain fiercely independent.
“This is not a zero-sum game. This is 2023. We have had enough of Cold War conflicts and rancorous exchanges,” he said.
“We say to the US and China: don’t force us to take sides. We work to serve our country. And we will continue to engage. The US has been an important partner. All our US investments have propelled our economy as a trading nation.
“China is also our neighbour and is an important country that has matured in terms of economic vibrancy… We have not had any problems with minor issues we discussed. China remains a reliable friend and ally.”
Anwar said this in responding to a question during a session at the University of California in Berkeley, near San Francisco on Tuesday.
The prime minister is in San Francisco to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit this week.
He had just delivered a special lecture titled “Super Power Rivalry and Rising Tensions in the Asia Pacific: the View from South East Asia” when he was questioned by the university’s political science director Prof Vinod Aggarwal on his views about the two economic heavyweights.
Anwar emphasised that, cumulatively, the US is number one in terms of total investment in Malaysia.
At the same time, China has increasingly become one of the major investors as well. “So what do you expect us to do? To take sides? Or to benefit by engaging both,” he said.
Washington ‘disheartened’
Anwar said China does not impose but the US could at times be seen to be “disheartened” as it may see him tilting towards China.
“We are not tilting towards China. We are not tilting. We happen to be close to China, geographically,” he said.
Anwar said while the emerging economies listen to the two economic heavyweights, there is also a need for them to engage and listen to views of peers.
He said the leaders of the emerging economies are deciding what is best for their respective countries.
Anwar said the world has shifted away from the “old Cold War sort of politics” and economies are no longer desperate and influenced by the superpowers like before.
He said the world is heading towards two different alignments at present.
He noted Asia as having the fastest growing economy and seeing a rapid rise in investments from countries like India, China and Europe. – The Vibes, November 14, 2023
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