Exclusive | As China ties deepen, Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim says geopolitics is no zero-sum game

In an exclusive interview, Malaysia’s PM talks territorial disputes, navigating US-China tensions and hopes for a Chinese economic rebound

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Anwar Ibrahim on navigating Malaysia through China-US tensions | Talking Post with Yonden Lhatoo

Joseph SipalanandHadi Azmi

Published: 7:00am, 15 Jun 2024Updated: 10:18am, 15 Jun 2024

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has made it clear he will not get caught up in China-US geopolitical tensions and be pressured into picking a side, playing down territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the risk of sanctions as he looks to fast track his country’s transition to a hi-tech economy through stronger economic and strategic ties with Beijing.

In an exclusive interview with the Post, Anwar was defiant about putting Malaysia’s interests first and carrying on doing business with China, but stressed that he neither had any intention of antagonising the United States nor being swayed by the unilateral action of one country against another.

“If they have compelling evidence to suggest that any company or any country is causing mischief, then all right. They should adduce evidence,” he said.

“But otherwise, we will not succumb to that sort of pressure. It is no longer neocolonialism or colonial rule. We are an independent nation.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at his office in Putrajaya with South China Morning Post Editor-in-Chief Tammy Tam and Managing Editor Yonden Lhatoo (right) during an exclusive interview. Photo: Hadi Azmi

Malaysia celebrates 50 years of diplomatic ties with China this year, with a view to leveraging Beijing’s investment capacity and technical expertise across sectors from manufacturing to renewable energy.