Malaysia not tilting towards China, it’s just nearby, says Anwar

 

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says the US and China are equally important to Malaysia. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: China’s geographical proximity to Malaysia makes it a reliable friend and ally, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Denying that Malaysia was biased towards China, Anwar said the US was equally important and a traditional ally, as well as a major investor that had helped propel Malaysia’s economy.

“Cumulatively, the US stands as number one in terms of our total investments, but China has increasingly become one of our major investors,” Bernama reported him as saying during a question-and-answer session at the University of California in Berkeley.

“China is our neighbour, an important country, and has matured in terms of its economic vibrancy, and we would benefit immensely as we continue to engage with it.

“So while we have to listen to big powers, they also have to engage and listen to the views and expressions of our country. As a developing and emerging economy, we need to engage and decide what is best for our country.”

On China’s map of the South China Sea, Anwar, who is in San Francisco for the 30th Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting, said it had discussed its position with Asean.

“The map does infringe upon our territories or claims, but we have been rather successful in terms of negotiating with the Chinese,” he said.

Anwar added that the problem was more troublesome and contentious with the Philippines and Vietnam.

“We are engaging with them too, but our position is to make sure it remains a regional problem,” he said.

“The solution, of course, is aggressive diplomatic engagement, which we are continuing even within Asean.” - FMT