Malaysia has two options when dealing with China – confrontation or engagement – and it is obvious the Southeast Asian nation prefers the latter.
That was the view of James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, as Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim returned from his four-day state visit to China on Sept 22.
“The series of high-level meetings has opened avenues of communication, with both countries emphasising communication and cooperation to solve local and global issues,” said Chin.
“We can’t run away from China as it is our biggest trading partner. It makes sense to have an open and cordial relationship where they can discuss any issue. It is better to be friends than enemies,” he added.
Sultan Ibrahim is from Johor – the southern state in Malaysia that neighbours Singapore. Chin said His Majesty is familiar with the Chinese government as the country is a major player in his home state’s economy.
Companies from China have been investing heavily in Johor. They include Country Garden’s Forest City venture and tech giants GDS Holdings, injecting RM14.33 billion into two data centres in Nusajaya Tech Park and Kempas Tech Park.
“I hope the government will examine the results of this visit and take appropriate measures in the areas discussed, including education, trade and investment,” said Sultan Ibrahim.
Sultan Ibrahim’s visit came three months after Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Malaysia to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
On May 31, 1974, Malaysia’s second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, formalised relations with China, represented by its then-premier, Zhou Enlai.
The King of Malaysia’s visit also comes 18 months after Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim met with President Xi Jinping in Beijing to mark the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The timeline of these visits underscores a deepening commitment to enhancing bilateral relations, which is no surprise as China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for the past 15 years. Last year, China’s share of the total trade with Malaysia stood at 17.1 per cent.
Since Anwar came into power in November 2022, Putrajaya has made no secret that it prefers dialogue with China, especially regarding security and boundaries in the South China Sea. However, not all nations in the region prefer the diplomatic approach.
Tensions have been at an all-time high between China and the Philippines in recent times following a series of alleged encroachments by the Chinese military in the hotly contested seaway.
Security officials from the US and the Philippines have reportedly agreed to keep an American mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines to boost deterrence. China, in return, expressed alarm over the matter. The Philippines is an ally of the USA.
Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan also have overlapping claims in the busy waterway that is a strategic sea and air route, and is believed to be rich in oil and natural gas reserves.
China’s Huawei also seems to be the frontrunner for Malaysia’s second 5G network, with Anwar advocating the use of both “Western and Eastern” technology. Malaysia’s state-owned operator Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) selected Ericsson for the deployment of its 5G network and ecosystem in 2021.
Malaysia has expressed interest in joining BRICS, thus explaining its relationship with China. BRICS is an alliance of major developing countries that initially comprised Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2006. South Africa joined four years later. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were later admitted into the alliance.
