Anwar Ibrahim said he was untroubled by China’s rise, claiming the risk of conflict in the South China Sea had been exaggerated in a departure from comments by Penny Wong.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has warned of global disaster if the United States and China cannot improve their tense relationship, insisting it is not up to other nations to dictate whether Beijing takes control of the self-governing island of Taiwan.
Australian nuclear-powered submarines could potentially pass through his nation’s waters despite Malaysia’s previous concerns about the AUKUS pact, he added. “I sense that some countries just cannot accept the fact that you have another superpower emerging. I don’t have that problem.”Asked whether it would be appropriate for the United States to intervene to defend Taiwan from an invasion by Beijing, Anwar said: “We have all agreed on the consensus there is a one-China policy.”“Now, whether they would then use force, I don’t think that is likely.”
Anwar continued: “I mean is always very presumptuous, always negative when it comes to China and the use of force. Asked whether he believed elements in Australia could be described as “China-phobic”, Anwar paused before praising the Albanese government for taking a “more nuanced position” on Beijing and seeking deeper engagement with its Indo-Pacific neighbours.Speaking after a meeting with Anthony Albanese on Monday, Anwar said Malaysia was “fiercely independent” and did not want to pick sides between the global superpowers.